Brothers In Another World
by The Bane of My Life
Summary: 10 years ago, a horrible disaster struck the wizarding world, yet it came with blessings under the surface. James and Lily Potter were dead, but the Dark Lord, Voldemort, was killed by their one year old son, Harry. Fate gave him one last blessing, but this one was not a matter of life or death; no, this one came in the form of a orange haired teenager. Rated T for safety.
1. Prologue

_"No, please, not Harry!" The woman screamed. A blinding flash, one last scream, and a wand pulled to the boy's forehead._

_ "AVADA KEDAVRA!"_

_ October 31__st__, 1981._

_ This was the day that Kurosaki Ichigo was pulled into Harry Potter's life. _

* * *

Ichigo growled at nothing. Then he glared up at the building above him and cried, "Alright, I get it, I'll stop nagging you about changing your stupid bucket hat, Urahara! Now get me out of here!"

Naturally, there was no response.

Ichigo growled once again, and resisted the urge to smash the buildings around him. You see, Ichigo was stuck inside his mindscape. And no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't get out…

Strangely enough, he didn't even see Zangetsu anywhere. His zanpaktou was gone, both the sword and his spiritual form. Zangetsu wasn't the type to ignore Ichigo, and would probably come if Ichigo was inside his mind. And if Zangetsu wasn't here, then neither was his Hollow…

He froze as he heard heavy footsteps, accompanied by loud breathing. It was strange, before, he swore that he had only heard a baby crying in the distance (Well, he did wonder where it came from, but he didn't dwell on it for too long).

_"Cum on, Harry, time teh go with Hagrid."_ Ichigo frowned. Was that... English? Thankfully, he had paid attention to his English class, so he could speak, write, read, and talk fliently.

The baby's screeches quieted as Ichigo heard Hagrid, who he assumed was the owner of the voice, pick up the baby, who was probably Harry. Ichigo scowled deeply as he tried to understand what the heck was going on. Why was he hearing a conversation between Hagrid and baby, possibly and more than likely, Harry?

He was jolted out of his thoughts when he heard the revving of a motorcycle (If this was a dream, he blamed Rukia and her crappy drawings of objects [Such as Chappy, perhaps that rabbit was the one riding the motorcycle]) arrive and turn off. Then another voice, a male's, joined the conversation.

_"H-Hagrid? What's happening? I-Is that Harry?"_

_ "Sirius? Whut're ye doin' here?"_

_ "I just came to check up on James and Lily. What happened, Hagrid?!"_

_ "James an' Lily were betrayed, Sirius. I'm takin' Harry teh Dumbledore."_

_ "What?! Then you should leave him with me, I'm his godfather!"_

_ "I'm sorry, Sirius, but it's on Dumbledore's orders, yeh know. Gotta get Harry to him."_

_"…Alright, but in that case, take my motorcycle. I won't need it anymore."_

They exchanged a few more words but soon enough, Hagrid had clambered onto the motorcycle. Ichigo heard the engine rev, and soon that was all he could hear, seeing as Harry had fallen asleep. Ichigo was more confused than ever, he hated things he didn't understand.

"That's it," He growled. "HEY! URAHARA! I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF PRANK THIS IS, BUT YOU BETTER GET ME OUT OF HERE,** NOW**!"

At once, Harry woke up and burst into tears.

_"Harry, what's wrong?" _ Ichigo could almost see Hagrid look at Harry concernedly. _"Jus' go back teh' sleep, everythin's gonna be fine, alright?"_

Ichigo looked dumbfounded in surprise. Harry could hear him? Well, it made sense that if he could hear what Harry said and heard, then Harry could probably hear what Ichigo said and heard.

That didn't make things easier for Ichigo. Perhaps it would be useful later on, when Harry could speak satisfactorily, but for now, Ichigo was used to lashing out on his surroundings when he was mad, which meant, unfortunately, noise. And noise meant, a crying, loud, and extremely annoying baby.

Well, he supposed that he would have to deal with it.

**Hi, this is HolyHappiness speaking! First off, if you've decided to check this story out, I'd like to thank you for doing so. I've finally managed to open up Microsoft Word and start writing fanfiction after a time lapse of around six months! I highly doubt that anyone's read my other fic, Bleaching Karakura, which is a oneshot that just popped into my mind one day.**

**This is a random idea that came to me on Saturday. Strangely enough, I was watching Ice Age...  
**

**I don't know if I'll update regularly, or if I'll just abandon this after a few chapters. I tend to lose interest very easily, so I really don't know. Well, either way, I hope you like it while it lasts!  
**

**Review if you want to, but personally, I feel uncomfortable reviewing other people's fics because I don't know what to say so I won't be mad or anything if you don't. I'm as lazy as hell, so for all I know, I might not even respond. Oh well...  
**


	2. Harry

Ichigo lay flat on the ground, listening to the sounds of Petunia washing the dishes, Harry breathing in his sleep, and Dudley's loud snores . Well, if you could call it 'ground'. It was actually the side of one of the many skyscrapers in his mind.

It had been around a month since he got stuck here (Yes, he had counted. It wasn't like he had anything else to do. Actually, it was a pretty daunting task, considering that the sky in his mind didn't change the way the sky in real life did.), and he had gotten a bit more information. He was in England, Little Winging. Harry's full name was Harry Potter, and his parents, James and Lily, were dead because they were betrayed, whatever that meant. What intrigued Ichigo most was a little conversation right before he had been dumped onto the Dursley's doorstep, a family consisting of 3 people, Petunia, Vernon, and Dudley.

Magic, scars, curses, and Harry, that was all the old man, Dumbledore (well, he sounded old), the younger sounding woman, Minerva, and Hagrid had talked about. Ichigo didn't know what to make of this. If you had asked him 3 years ago, he would have scoffed and said flatly, "I don't believe in any of it."

However, ever since he became a shinigami, he had been forced to believe in the supernatural. Curses, magic, it couldn't be all that different from kido **(demon arts)** and reiatsu **(spiritual pressure)**, could it? It annoyed him that he couldn't sense anybody's reiatsu inside his mind, and he couldn't prove his theory right.

Maybe they were like Inoue and Chad, and they were special types of humans that had gained their powers in special ways. But if he had to guess, they were probably more like Ishida, who had inherited his Quincy powers from his parents. Where they had originally gotten the powers however, was a completely different question...

His features softened as he thought about his old nakama. Inoue, Chad, Ishida, Rukia, Renji…

As far as he knew, he would never see them again. How could he? He was stuck here, and if Soul Society had detected him on their radar, he wouldn't still be here; stuck in his mind along with Harry the only one could hear him.

His fist hit the glass abruptly, and he sat up quickly. What was he doing, feeling sorry for himself? If he was stuck here for the rest of his life, then he may as well make the best of it! That's what these buildings stood for anyways. Hope. Never giving up.

Then it hit him. Maybe the reason why he was there was because of Harry. He had no grasp what Harry's "magic" was, and for all he knew, that magic had desperately dragged him here. Seeing the relatives that Harry was going to live with for the next decade or so, he could certainly see why.

A thought crossed his mind. He and Harry were so much more alike than he had originally thought. They had both seen and faced death (If his parents were dead, why wasn't he? It was doubtful that the killer had spared him because of his age.). And soon enough, both of them would have been scorned, made fun of, and ridiculed. Only Harry wouldn't have the constant support that Ichigo had gotten from his family.

Harry was alone.

Here, Ichigo made a decision. He would take care of Harry. He would keep Harry company and stay with him when other people didn't. He would spend the rest of his life his a boy he barely knew, simply because he didn't want him to have a bad childhood. Yup, that about summed it up.

Well, it may had been a rash decision, but once Ichigo made a promise, he kept it. A slow, gleeful smile spread across his face; after all, first thing to was to give Petunia and Vernon a nasty surprise...

In a flash, the buildings were gone. Ichigo blinked in surprise. He was wearing his school uniform, had rather surprising shoulder length hair, and was sitting on the floor in a… living room?

As he looked around, he noticed a pudgy boy sitting drowsily on the couch, just about to wake up. "Oh, shit!" He cursed. He knew those snores.

Somehow, he had changed places with Harry.

He quickly got up, his eyes scanning frantically around the room, looking for a place to hide when he heard Petunia's footsteps head from the kitchen to the living room. He needed to get out of here…now!

He stumbled in surprise as a loud wail echoed through his head. Losing his balance, he fell…

…and landed on a cold cement building.

Ichigo struggled to get a hold of his surroundings. One minute he was in the Dursley's house, and next thing he knew, he was back here. What the heck was happening?

_"Duddy-kins, what's wrong? Does your stomach hurt? No? Where does it hurt, dearie?" _Ichigo looked up when he heard Petunia fuss over the now awakened Dudley in that nauseatingly sickly sweet voice.

_"Oh stop fussing, you freak..."_ Ichigo heard her mutter. She was probably, he assumed checking on the still crying Harry.

Ichigo grit his teeth. Personally, he wanted to punch Petunia in the face, but really had no idea how to. On that note, he thought, it was time to get back to figuring out how exactly he had changed places with Harry.

It was just a theory, but he was sent back when Harry started crying. If he was outside, then Harry must have been inside his own mind. When Harry had woke up, he had probably been scared, seeing as he didn't know where he was, and had wanted to go back. So, he did. Harry must have been the cause of the exchange.

But what confused Ichigo was, how had he and Harry switch in the first place? If that theory was correct, the cause was Harry, but he had been sleeping at the time, so how was that possible?

Ichigo groaned and smacked himself. He was thinking too hard! Pretty soon he would sound like Ishida! Then he frowned. There was a strange weight on his shoulders. He looked down.

"Why is my hair still so long?"

* * *

Dudley Dursley wasn't very smart child, not even for a one year old. Despite that, he had enough brains to know that when a strange man with bright orange hair appeared out of nowhere and disappeared into nothing, something was wrong. He was also smart enough to know that he had ought to tell somebody. So when his mummy came into the room, he opened his mouth...

...And started screeching as loud as he could. After all, his mummy's concern for him was much more important. He could spend tomorrow trying to explain, after all.

* * *

Ichigo frowned in dislike. Seriously? Long hair? He looked like a girl, what was whoever made his hair like this thinking? All of the things to change, they had to change his hair?**  
**

"Well, at least I'm not a girl..." He said with a shudder. It wasn't like he hated girls or anything, but he didn't think think any guy in the right mind would want to _become_ a girl. That was disgusting.

There was something else that bothered him as well. The long hair... it reminded him too much of his hollow. After the one time he had lost control, Orihime and Ishida didn't really tell him much, knowing that nothing good would come of it. The only thing they truly said was, "Your hair was long. All the way down to your waist."

He pushed away those thoughts and was silent for a while.

"AGH! I'M SUCH AN IDIOT! WHY DIDN'T I KILL PETUNIA AND VERNON WHEN I HAD THE CHANCE?"

* * *

Outside, Harry burst into tears once again, and Petunia gave him a glare that could roast any turkey.

* * *

**Thank you, everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed! Just to let you know, the relationship between Ichigo and Harry will not be shinigami and zanpaktou, to the ones that guessed that. It's kind of hard to explain the way this story is going to go, but it'll be kind of like the overused plot of Ichigo goes to Hogwarts, only Harry and Ichigo cannot appear at the time, and nobody really knows that Ichigo exists (At least, not for a while). Something like that. I might mention shinigami at some point, but it's not going to be for a while and I don't think I want any other characters from the Bleach world to enter. Anyways, I think I've spoiled a bit too much so I'm going to shut up now.**

**Once again, review if you want to.  
**


	3. Birthday

**I'm officially surprised. This story (which is basically my first, I don't count my oneshot as a story) has received lots and lots of response, more than I ever expected. Somehow, I feel very very guilty... It's like I didn't try that hard on this, and then it receives 20 reviews in 2 chapters. *Jaw drops.***_  
_

**Justin: Ichigo is inside his own mind, which is somehow connected to Harry's body (Think of it as a body that has two soul chains connected to it, except Ichigo's is kind of broken, as he is a shinigami), so I guess that makes your statement half true. Ichigo isn't really Harry's weapon, since Harry can't 'equip' him and transform, he's just a poor guy stuck with Harry for the rest of his (eternally long, because he's in his shinigami form) life. But, he isn't evil, which, I guess, makes your other statement also half true. I'm glad that you like my writing, and I'll try my best to update at this speed, but right now is the most uneventful time of my life; I almost have no homework, projects, etc. that I actually have to spend time on at home. It's great and all, but I don't know how it'll last. Anyways, thanks for reviewing!**

* * *

_Harry._

A young boy, around 10, rolled around restlessly in sleep.

_Haaaarrrrryyyy..._

The boy groaned and smothered his head in his blankets, in attempt to drown out the voice.

_Harry! If you don't get up __right now,__ Petunia's going to kill you!_

"Up! Get up! Now!" Aunt Petunia shrieked, right on schedule.

Harry sighed and got slowly out of bed. He had been having a nice dream, one about a flying motorcycle. Strangely enough, whenever he had this dream, Ichigo seemed very cautious to approach the subject, though sometimes it sounded like he was implying that it really happened.

Of course, that was impossible. Motorcycles didn't fly.

He grabbed his socks and pulled out the spider that was hiding within it.

_Three thousand nine hundred and thirty one. _Ichigo recited nonchalantly.

_Oh, be quiet._ He shot back.

Once he half crawled, half walked out of the cupboard, he headed down the hallway to the kitchen. Dudley (once a fat pig, always a fat pig) and Uncle Vernon hadn't arrived yet, and he got onto his task of frying the eggs and bacon.

Today was Dudley's birthday, and Aunt Petunia would kill him if he burned anything.

As Harry put the eggs and bacon onto the table (which was difficult, seeing as presents covered the table) he watched Dudley, who had entered the kitchen when he was frying the eggs, count his mountain of presents.

Harry started eating as Dudley started to show the signs of a temper tantrum (he had 1 present more last year), and Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia attempted to comfort him.

_I still don't understand why you won't let me punch them in the face._ Ichigo sighed from inside his mind.

_Because, knowing you, you'd do a whole lot worse than punch them in the face. I don't want to be sent to jail you know._

Ichigo sighed once again and gave up, it wasn't like he could argue with that.

As Dudley unwrapped his presents, Aunt Petunia came back from the telephone, her face sour.

"Bad news, Vernon. Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't take him." She jerked her head in Harry's direction.

Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia quickly began discussing all the options and canceling them out just as quickly.

_Congratulations, Harry._ Ichigo grinned. _Looks like this day isn't going to be as bad you thought._

Harry hid his smile. After all, the Dursleys would never leave him alone in their house or car. Whether Dudley liked it or not, he was coming with them to the zoo.

_Thanks, Ichigo. Say, once we get there, where do you want to go first?_

* * *

_What I said earlier, about this day not being as bad as you thought, I take it back._

Harry laid miserably on his bed. That was an understatement, when Dudley and his friend Piers fell through solid glass, Uncle Vernon had looked like he was about to suffocate. And he was now stuck in his cupboard. Again.

_Hey, Ichigo?_

_Yeah?  
_

_Back then, was I just imagining it? That I talked to a snake?  
_

_...Harry, I don't think you did. It's like when you appeared on the chimney of the school, or when you turned your teacher's wig blue. Don't forget these accidents, either. It marks you.  
_

_But what if I don't want to be marked? I wish those things never happened. Why can't I just be normal like Dudley? Then no one would ever hate me.  
_

_Are you an idiot? You, of all people, want to be like Dudley?  
_

_But, if I was like him, no one would ever chase me. I would be respected.  
_

_Yes, but you'd be a bully, Harry. Listen up; you're a good person, no one will ever deny that. You may be a dunderhead sometimes, like now, but you're special. Yes, I know, you don't want to be special, _he said as Harry opened up his mental mouth to protest. _But like it or not, you are. Don't you remember all those random people we've met on the street?_

Harry thought about it. Once in a while, a strange looking man or woman would come up to him and shake his hand excitedly, though Harry had never seen them before. It was almost as if they knew him...

_One day,_ Ichigo said, _They'll come for you._

Ichigo seemed oddly convinced, and that ended the conversation. Harry, feeling slightly surprised at the mysterious comment (Ichigo often ranted about how he hated comments that were actually riddles), also fell silent.

It was on times like this that Harry realized how little he knew of Ichigo. He was just there, talking, making jokes, and commentating on everything that happened.

Harry knew all the little quirks in his personality. He got very easily annoyed, he was very protective and stubborn, and he held secrets. One time, when Harry was wandering around, he let Ichigo out so he could explore. Somehow, he had managed to get lost and walk into the bad side of London (How he got from Little Whinging to London was a secret he still refused to tell Harry). Seeing as he was able to get out of there unscathed, Harry knew was a strong person, both physically and mentally.

Heck, he was strong enough to kill the Dursleys, which was what he probably wanted to do. Of course, Harry, who was in change of the switching of the bodies, would never let him do that. The Dursleys may have been cruel, but that didn't mean they had to die.

But once Harry was no longer conscious, Ichigo could gain control. He could do whatever he wanted when Harry was asleep. Ichigo could've done anything to the Dursleys. But he didn't. He didn't want to betray Harry's trust in him. He was that kind of person.

But who was he? Was he even human? Most of all, why was he here?

A long time ago, Ichigo was only able to hear what happened outside of his mind. Now he could see it too, and they could talk mentally with having to open their mouths.

However, the only time he could talk to Ichigo face to face was in his dreams. They were fleeting, and Harry struggled to remember what Ichigo even looked like everyday. Sometimes he couldn't even remember the dreams.

Ichigo was a person that he felt you could confess anything and he would still accept you. Harry told him everything, all his worries and miseries, and Ichigo would always find a way to feel better. Ichigo was a person you could trust, no matter what he kept from you.

So, he would just have to trust Ichigo's words, whatever they meant.

* * *

Harry stared at the letter. It read:

Mr. H Potter

The Cupboard under the Stairs

4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging

Surrey

_See? I told you they would come._ Ichigo said smugly.

_It can't be, _Harry protested. _I've never received any letters before. This has to be a prank._

_It isn't, I can tell. Who else outside this house knows that you live under the stairs?  
_

No one did. Harry didn't dare tell anyone, in fear that Uncle Vernon would starve him to death.

"Hurry up, boy! What are you doing, checking the letter for bombs?"

_Read it, _Ichigo suggested as Harry walked back to the kitchen._ Or hide it, before Vernon finds- oh, shoot._

It was too late. Uncle Vernon quickly snatched the thick letter out of Harry's hand, and his face turned gray.

"P-P-Petunia!"

* * *

**And... another chapter finished! I know there hasn't been a lot of action so far, but let's face it, there nothing really happened in the first chapters in the canon, either. Next chapter, when Hagrid appears, there should be a little more excitement.**

**Truthfully, I'm a bit stuck. I know what to write for the next few chapters or so, but I don't know how much I want Ichigo to change the story. Who should find out about Ichigo? When? Should Ichigo appear in the 3 tasks of the Triwizard Tournament (If he does, then the whole world would know)? I'm planning to get Zangetsu back in the story, so that brings out a lot more possibilities.**

**I'm open to suggestions. Just PM me or something.  
**


	4. Magic

**I just remembered that I'm supposed to put a disclaimer up here. *ahem* I don't own Bleach or Harry Potter. End of story.**

**For some reason, it strikes me as funny that when you review, it always says, "The author would like to thank you for your continued support." Does anybody else feel like that? No? It's ok; I know I'm a weird person.  
**

**Guest: As you will see in this chapter, I'm not going to use your first suggestion, no matter what, Harry will not be a shinigami and Ichigo will not be a wizard. I would have used your 2nd suggestion, if I had already promised myself that I wouldn't include any characters from Bleach other than Ichigo himself. Thanks for the input anyways. :)  
**

* * *

_Well, this is a wonderful birthday. _Harry thought miserably as he stared at Dudley's glowing watch.

When Uncle Vernon found out about the letter, he went took drastic measures to make sure that Harry never received it. Right now, half an hour before the day of Harry's birthday, the Dursleys and Harry were sleeping in a shack on a large rock that overlooked the ocean.

_I told you that you should have hidden it._

_I know, I know,_ Harry sighed. _I really wanted to see what was written inside. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia seemed pretty surprised when they read it._

_That's an understatement..._ Ichigo mumbled.

Harry continued to stare at Dudley's watch. Ten minutes to his birthday...

Nine... Eight... Seven... Six... Five... Four... Three... Two... One... Fifty seconds...

_Harry!_ Ichigo cried out suddenly.

_Just wait forty seconds Ichigo. _Harry muttered.

Thirty... Twenty... Ten... Nine seconds...

_HARRY!_

Eight... Seven... Six... Five... Four... Three... Two...

_Harry James Potter! _Ichigo roared. _There is somebody outside!_

Before Harry could react-

-BOOM.

Uncle Vernon ran to the rundown door, a rifle in his hand. "Who's there? I warn you- I'm armed!"

*Pause* ... SMASH!

The door swung clean off its hinges and a giant of a man stepped into the room. He had a wild, shaggy face, and as he squeezed himself inside, he turned to look at them all.

"Couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey..."

_That voice..._ Ichigo said incredulously. _It couldn't be... Hagrid?_

_You know him? _Harry asked, staring at 'Hagrid' stupidly. Before Ichigo could reply, Hagrid, who had seated himself on the couch where Dudley had been sleeping, smiled. "Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby. Yeh look a lot like yer dad, but yeh've got yer mum's eyes."

"You knew my mum and and dad?" Harry burst out.

"I demand you leave at once sir! You are breaking and entering!" Uncle Vernon said furiously.

Hagrid told him to shut up, "yeh great prune", and bent his rifle into a knot. Uncle Vernon squeaked, like a mouse stepped on. Ichigo couldn't help but snicker at the noise.

Yes, this was the Hagrid from 10 years ago. So this was who they sent for Harry, well, they couldn't have picked a better person. Ichigo decided not to interrupt Harry's conversation with Hagrid. This was going to be a bit to personal for him to handle.

* * *

_Harry sat up with a gasp and looked around wildly. Where was he? _

You're dreaming, Harry. _Harry turned around. Standing behind was a man with long, orange hair. He looked vaguely familiar, like Harry had seen him before. He had a good looking face, and he was tall, wearing foreign clothes; almost like a long black dress. This person was...  
_

Ichigo? _Harry asked hesitantly._

_Ichigo_ _grinned._ What, did you already forget about me? _Not waiting for an answer, he said less playfully, _I know what you're going to ask me.

_Harry frowned. _If you already know, why don't you just tell me? You met Hagrid before, you could have told me I was a wizard.

_Ichigo sighed and sat down. _First off, I couldn't tell that you were a wizard, just by listening in on Hagrid's conversations with Dumbledore, Minerva, and Sirius. _At Harry's questioning gaze, he added, _They're all the people Hagrid talked to.

_Harry's frown grew deeper. _Then you could have just told me about the conversations, not just hint at it. It would have been a lot easier.

_All Ichigo said was, _I didn't know how you would react. For I knew, you could have screamed out in horror or stared at me like I was crazy.

_Harry knew Ichigo well enough to know that he wasn't telling the truth, at least not all of it. But he let it go. Ichigo always kept secrets from him, and always for a reason. But the whole 'screaming in horror' sounded a bit off; after all, what could be so horrible about being a wizard?_

* * *

Ichigo watched as Harry woke up and struggled to find the 'Knuts' in Hagrid's many coat pockets.

10 years. A decade had passed so quickly. He was now 27, yet still in a 17 year old body. How was his family? Was Karin still playing soccer? Did Yuzu still cook for that idiot, goat-chin?

Had his mother passed on yet?

Harry's abrupt return to magic had triggered old memories, of the times when Rukia always kicked him and called him a fool, when Inoue ran around the corner with her big "Kurosaki-kun!" When Ishida pushed up his glasses and made a rude comment, when Chad walked by and gave a cheesy thumbs up. When Keigo ran to him with a "IIIIIIIICCCCCCHHHHHIIIIIIIGG GGGGOOOO!" When Mizuiro said his daily "Ohayo!"

When Kenpachi would come screaming at him for a fight, when Renji called him strawberry, when Toushiro roared, "It's Hitsugaya-taicho, damnit!" When Ukitake had given him his substitute shinigami badge, and of all the bad memories. Of Ulquiorra, Grimmjow, Noittra, and of course, Aizen.

Of Gin and Matsumoto-san, of Nel, Pesche, Dondonchakka, and Bawabawa, of Byakuya, of Ikkaku and Madarame, of the old man Yamamoto himself.

The memories just flooded back all of a sudden, with so much force behind each memory Ichigo could only wonder how he had actually managed to survive it all.

Would Harry have to live through this much as well? Would he live the same life Ichigo had lived through?

Ichigo absentmindedly followed Harry and Hagrid's conversation as they approached a grubby-looking pub, The Leaky Cauldron.

He was glad that Harry had forgotten to ask why he knew that somebody had been outside. Truth was, he couldn't actually hear and see what Harry saw. Instead, he felt everything he would have felt if he was in Harry's position. He had more sensitive hearing, he could actually taste and smell food, he saw more vividly and clearly than Harry, and most of all, he could sense reiatsu.

As Harry entered Diagon Alley in a daze, Ichigo's thoughts wandered. Although he couldn't really sense his own reiatsu, he could sense Harry's very clearly. What he had noticed was, though Harry did have spiritual pressure, there was so little that he could not even see an outline of a ghost. That was the reason Ichigo had always hesitated in telling Harry about 'magic' or the supernatural. If he did, how much should he have told him? Should he have told him about ghosts? Shinigami? Hollows?

Should he have told Harry that both of their spirit signatures reeked of Hollow?

When Hagrid arrived, he had just around the same amount of reiatsu as Harry, proving to Ichigo that Harry was supposed to have the amount of reiastu he had. But from Hagrid, he could only sense human, not hollow.

Ichigo was so absorbed in his rather depressing thoughts, he didn't even threaten the pale blond boy at Madam Malkins, he didn't attempt to comfort Harry in his thoughts of not knowing anything. He stayed so silent, Harry had begun to wonder if Ichigo was attempting suicide as he walked to Ollivander's.

Harry and Hagrid walked into the old, narrow shop. It had a cold, damp feel to it, and Harry was suddenly reminded of a very strict library as he looked at the boxes piled neatly on top one another.

"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Both Harry and Hagrid jumped. An old man stood at the counter, his eyes like moons in the gloom of the shop.

Wand after wand they tried, yet nothing seemed to work with Harry. He was beginning to think that it was a lost cause, until Mr. Ollivander muttered, "I wonder now- yes, why not- unusual combination- holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

Harry took the wand and...

* * *

It was strange. The sideways world of skyscrapers had not seen rain in 10 years. Yet even after a long drought, the pitter patter of rain drops was not welcomed. As the lone figure lay on one of the buildings, he wondered what had caused it.

Perhaps it was the guilt of not telling Harry the truth, or maybe the feelings and emotions that had came with those old memories. Either way, he felt strangely melancholy, and he couldn't stop the rain. He lay there in silence, as his mood slowly grew more sad.

**Even after a decade, you still haven't changed.**

Ichigo sat up in a flash, struggling to get his wet, slick hair out of his eyes. It was hard to see because of the rain, but figure in black was there, standing a few feet away from him.

"Who- who are you?" He yelled over the sound of the rain.

The figure did not respond, and instead, threw something to him. Ichigo gaped. This was... Zangetsu?

**Get up, Ichigo, and fight me.**

Before Ichigo could respond, the figure flew at him, cutting his right cheek. Ichigo looked at the blade the stranger was using, and his eyes widened. That was... his own zanpaktou?

The figure struck once again, this time aiming for the stomach. Ichigo gritted his teeth and brought up his blade in retaliation. The figure feinted to the left and hit Ichigo's waist while Ichigo slashed at the man's shoulder. It was clear that the stranger's skills were far better than Ichigo's yet he never seemed to gain the upper hand.

Ichigo's misery gradually turned into anger. He started to hit harder, move faster, and the battle rose to new level. Yet the stranger seemed so calm and dignified blocking every blow easily.

The clouds slowly dispersed, and the water evaporated, the bright appearing once more. When this happened, the fight between the two cooled down and gradually stopped completely.

Ichigo grabbed the handle of Zangetsu for support and fell to the ground in exhaustion. "Don't," He gasped, "You, under, stand, the, meaning, of holding, back!" He wheezed out.

**You know you needed it. Your mental exhaustion was killing you.** **You had to let out your emotions.** Zangetsu replied, for it was Zangetsu himself.

"Damn, old, man..." Ichigo muttered. Then he asked, "Say, why are you back now? I haven't seen you around in ten years."

**The boy, Harry, has just gotten a wand, which, in his case, will be like a zanpaktou.**

"Wha... oh, I see; I get my weapon when he gets his... Wait a minute, how did you know about wizards?"

**Wizards exist due to the spirit particles shinigami have left in the living plane. As you have probably noticed, each wizard has very little reiatsu, as it comes from the spirit particles in the air. Therefore, they use wands, whose core comes from an animal that has also been affected, to amplify their magic.**

"...That was very informational and all, but you still haven't answered my question."

**... You should probably get going. Harry is calling you.**

"YOU STILL HAVEN'T ANSWERED MY DAMN QUESTION!"

* * *

_Ichigo. Ichigoooo. Ichigo! ICHIGOOOO!_

_Ow, ow, ow, and ow! Stop yelling in my ear, Harry!  
_

_Sorry, sorry, _Harry said, slightly annoyed. _But you haven't answered me all day!_

_Yeah, I know. Sorry, I had a lot on my mind. I needed to spend some time by myself.  
_

Of all days, Ichigo had to pick today?

Oh well, he thought as he chattered happily to Ichigo as he boarded the train back to Little Whinging, even with Ichigo ignoring him, today was still the best birthday of his life.

* * *

**And... end of chapter 4! I had a few problems with writing this chapter; for some reason, it didn't flow out quite as well as the other 2 chapters did. Still, 2000 words? I think you guys should be satisfied, because I am, though I find that my writing is sometimes extremely shaky.**

**Thank you, everyone who suggested something! Some things I will definitely put in there, some things I won't, but for the majority of the of the suggestions, I will just have to wait and see how it turns out.  
**

**Review if you really want to!  
**


	5. Trains

**I'm a bit later than usual, but that's ok, right? The last two days have been a bit more hectic; On Thursday, I got home from school at 3:20, played piano till 4:30, ate dinner, left for my District Honor Band Rehearsal at 5:00, came back at 9:00, and was so tired I fell asleep. On Friday, I had rehearsals from 8:30 to 3:00, which left me the afternoon to write, but I couldn't finish it in time. Today, I had rehearsals to 12, went to a restaurant and went shopping, and got home at 3:00. I still have my concert at 7, so I'm feeling kind of nervous right now...**

**Guest: I'm honored that you even bothered to review, especially if it's only your fourth review (no, I don't think it's weird to save your reviews, I've noticed that they sometimes come in handy, I don't know why). Thank you for complimenting my work! I'm not a writer that will write a story quicker or slower based on its publicity, but nevertheless, it feels good anyways. ;)  
**

* * *

Ichigo sat and on Harry's bed and grabbed _Magical Drafts and Potions_ by Arsenius Jigger. A lot of things had happened in the two weeks after Harry's birthday.

First off, he had introduced Harry to Zangetsu.

Of course, Harry had thought he was joking, as he couldn't actually see Zangetsu, but...

* * *

(Flashback)

_**Hello.**_

Harry dropped spit out the food he had been eating. Ignoring the Dursley's nervous glares, he hurriedly wiped his mouth and excused himself to his bedroom.

First Ichigo, now this Zangetsu guy? (_Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!)_

He was going to go crazy soon.

* * *

Then, seeing as he spent all of Harry's birthday moping around, Harry described everything that had happened in great detail to Ichigo. Harry particularly spent a long time talking about the you-know-what in vault seven hundred and thirteen.

Ichigo thought about it for a while. _I think, _he started, _That while it seems suspicious, you shouldn't worry about it too much. Hagrid and _(he made a disapproving noise) _Dumbledore seem to have everything under control._

Harry mentally looked at Ichigo. _Do you have something against this Dumbledore person? Hagrid made him sound like a pretty good man._

_Well, he is the person who stuck you with the Dursleys. _Ichigo pointed out, scowling (though only Zangetsu could see it). _He didn't really seem to be too happy leaving you there, but he still did._

_He must had a_ _reason, _Harry argued halfheartedly. After all, it would be a lie if Harry said he didn't care that he was stuck with the Dursleys or not.

After that, Ichigo pestered Harry to go back to Diagon Alley.

_Why? _Harry asked, exasperated. _Please don't tell you want to go because you missed it on my birthday. It was your fault for not paying attention, and I don't have the money to get to London anyways._

Fifteen minutes later, Harry opened his eyes to see that he was in Diagon Alley once again.

_See, _Ichigo said, pleased with himself. _And I didn't even need to spend any money._

_**...**_Judging by Zangetsu's silence, Harry assumed that he was feeling as peculiar as he himself was. Also, how the heck had Ichigo managed to get to Diagon Alley without him knowing?_  
_

There, Ichigo forced Harry exchange some of his money into pounds (_Then you can buy new clothes for me and yourself, I'm sure they'll have that option for muggle-born families.) _and buy all the books required for all seven years. At Harry's protest, Ichigo said, _Then you'll save yourself extra trips. And in plus, it's always better to stay ahead in your classes._

As Zangetsu voiced his agreement in a very simple way (he didn't seem to be much of a talker), Harry gave in and albeit reluctantly bought all the books.

Did Ichigo have any idea how hard and heavy it was to carry so many things?

* * *

So here Ichigo was, reading all the books at a leisurely pace. Harry had nothing to do for the next half a month, so he had given his body over to Ichigo (that sounded a bit wrong, but who cared, it wasn't like anybody had said it out loud). Harry was sleeping himself to death right now, he really did have nothing to do, so Zangetsu was the only one who was still conscious. It was a good thing too, seeing as when Ichigo randomly opened up _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Book 7, _a caption popped out at him.

**Grim Reapers**

_Zangetsu! _Ichigo had to clasp his mouth shut to keep himself from shouting aloud. Dumbstruck, he goggled at the subtitle. Grim Reapers? That sounded a bit too much like Soul Reapers or Death Gods. What did the wizards know about shinigami?

**_...Perhaps if you would keep reading, you would find the answer to your__ question._ **

Nervously, Ichigo scanned the page.

**Grim Reapers**

_No one truly knows who or what grim reapers are. There have been rare sightings of them before, but all eyewitnesses have only vague descriptions of grim reapers. Some believe that grim reapers do not exist, and are only stories made by Muggles. _

The next few paragraphs continued on about the speculations. Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief. So they had no idea what grim reapers actually were.

It was as it should have been. No human should know about the dead.

* * *

Harry stared. And stared. And stared.

It was a barrier.

At first it seemed pretty clear. The train ticket had said that he was to board on platform nine and three quarters, which must have been between platforms nine and ten.

So here it was. The barrier that separated platforms 9 and 10.

**_It is an enchantment._ **Zangetsu spoke up. _**The platform lies behind**_**_ the barrier._**

Uneasily, Harry walked behind it. Nothing.

_Harry, _Ichigo sighed. _He means inside of it. Inside of it._

_What do you mean? _Harry, asked, confused. _It's a barrier, like a wall. There can't be a platform _inside _of it._

_There just is, ok?  
_

_How do you know?  
_

_I just know!  
_

Meaning, Ichigo didn't want to tell him. Harry bit his lip. What could be so bad about telling him how Ichigo knew platform nine and three quarters was there?

"-packed with Muggles, of course-"

Harry swung around to the speaker, and to his surprise, he saw a large family of redheads.

_Maybe I can ask them, _Harry said hopefully.

_What, you don't believe us? _Ichigo complained in an almost whiny way.

_No, I believe you, I just want to make sure._

_Cheh... That's basically the same thing... _

Harry watched as the three oldest, Percy, Fred, and George, walked to the barrier briskly and then, vanish. What had happened?

Well, there was no helping it. He was going to have to ask.

"Excuse me," Harry said to the plump woman.

"Hello, dear, first time at Hogwarts?" She pointed at her youngest son. He was tall and gangling, with freckles and a long a nose. "Ron's new, too."

"Yes," Said Harry, somewhat awkwardly. He wasn't used to talking to strangers. "The thing is- the thing is, I don't know how to-"

"How to get onto the platform? Not to worry, all you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."

Harry hesitantly pushed his trolley so that it faced the barrier, ignoring Ichigo's annoyed mutterings of _I told you so, _and nervously looked at the barrier. It looked solid. Very solid.

Harry started to walk towards the barrier, but remembered the lady's words and broke out into a flat run. He squeezed his eyes shut and braced himself for the impact-

-but there was none. He stopped running and opened his eyes. A scarlet steam train was waiting next to a platform filled with people was what he saw. Behind him, there was a sign that read _Platform __Nine and Three Quarters. _Somehow, he had done it.

_Seriously? A steam train? _Ichigo scoffed. _Talk about old-fashioned. In Japan, the news say that they've started to use bullet trains. _Maybe Harry was imagining it, but he heard a hint of pride in Ichigo's words. Ichigo was a very oriental sounding name, perhaps he had come from Japan? Harry decided to remember this, it was one more thing he knew about Ichigo.

_**Ichigo, from what Harry has told us, wizards are not exactly up to date in the latest technology. I find it that surprising that they use trains at all.**_

_Looks like wizards aren't as isolated from the mundane world as we thought. _Harry also noted the use of the word mundane. Ichigo always seemed to wince at the word Muggle, maybe he didn't like it?

The red-haired twins, Fred and George, helped Harry drag his luggage into an empty compartment in the train (_Geez! I could've done it for you!). _Harry accidentally let it slip that he was Harry Potter. As the two boys hopped off the train when their mother called (taking one last look at him, much to Ichigo's annoyance), Harry sat next to the window so he could see the red-haired family.

_You know, those two twins are beginning to grow on me. _Ichigo commented as Fred and George acted out their childish antics. Zangetsu didn't say anything, but Harry got the feeling that he neither approved nor disapproved. Actually, now that he thought about it, Zangetsu was almost always like that. Almost as if that most things were just _there_, and either way, it didn't matter...

Harry abruptly shook himself out of his thoughts as he heard his name being said in sudden emphasis.

"Oh, Mum, can I go on the train and see him, Mum, oh please..." Harry heard the little girl say.

"You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in the zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?"

After Fred answered, Mrs. Weasley continued. "Poor _dear- _no wonder he was so alone, I wondered. He was ever so polite when he asked how to get onto the platform."

Harry felt his cheeks grow ever so slightly warm, while Ichigo, oddly enough, didn't say anything and was strangely silent.

As the train whistle blew, Percy, Ron, Fred and George (Shouting out that he would send Ginny a Hogwarts toilet seat) boarded the train with Mrs. Weasley and Ginny waving on the platform.

Harry felt an odd strike of envy for the boy, Ron, who was his age. To have siblings, and a mother and father...

Houses flashed pass the window, and a sudden burst of excitement overpowered his sense of jealousy. He was going to Hogwarts! He wouldn't see the Dursleys again until next summer! He didn't know what exactly he was going to- but it would definitely be better than what he was leaving behind.

As Harry repeated those words to Ichigo and Zangetsu, both made a "hmming" noise, as if they didn't really care. Harry frowned in confusion, slightly hurt. Ichigo had always answered his comments with avid interest, whether he disapproved or not.

The door to the compartment slid open, breaking Harry's line of thought, and the youngest red-haired boy came in.

"Anyone sitting there? Everywhere else is full."

Harry shook his head and the boy sat down.

An awkward silence ensued.

The door slid open once again, as the Weasley twins stepped in and formally introduced themselves. As soon as they left, Ron, who couldn't contain it any longer, finally burst out, "Are you really Harry Potter?"

Harry nodded, slightly bemused. Was everyone going to act like this?

* * *

The rest of the train ride went along smoothly, except for the unwelcome visit of Draco Malfoy and his two goons, Crabbe and Goyle. After that, Zangetsu had frowned in disapproval and Ichigo let out a long string curses that ended with a _***! Why the **** won't you let me out, Harry?! _Harry tried his best to keep Ron from realizing that he was having a conversation in his head, as Ron might've thought he was insane. Still, it might have been his imagination, but he swore that Ron was still giving him funny looks.

Hermione Granger, who was a (in Ron's opinion) bossy, know-it-all girl, was currently telling them to get dressed into their robes. Harry's stomach suddenly lurched with nerves and Ron, he saw, looked pale under his freckles.

_You're going to be fine. _Ichigo said. Harry could imagine him rolling his eyes.

"How would you know? You're not the one getting sorted." Harry muttered, having not yet forgiven Ichigo for his previous ignorance. He quickly shut up though, as he saw Ron cast him another queer look.

Harry suddenly felt a strange sense of foreboding. Today felt suddenly nostalgic, as if it had happened before. Strange memories, happy and sad, a girl with tears, a large fire-like bird, and a desert in the night sky...

He shook those thoughts away quickly. He must've been hallucinating. Tensely, he walked out of the train with his new friend Ron into the night, towards the the bobbing sound of boats.

* * *

**Well, that was exhausting. I need to go play piano now, so bye!**

**Sorry if something doesn't make sense. I wrote this as fast as I could.  
**


	6. Hogwarts

**Oh right, I forgot to do this last chapter... It's ok if I'm too lazy to add it on, right?**_  
_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or Harry Potter, who belong to their respective owners, Tite Kubo and J. K. Rowling.  
**

**Just wondering, is Tite Kubo's name Tite Kubo or Kubo Tite (The Japanese way)? **

**The OMG Cat: Well, nobody else said that it didn't make sense, so I guess it did. And don't worry, I sleep at least 8 hours a day, which is actually... a lot, huh.  
**

* * *

_"Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right, Harry? C'mon, follow me- any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" _

Ichigo stared up at the sky, Zangetsu standing next to him.

**Why have you not told him? About your past?**

Ichigo glanced at Zangetsu and then looked down. "I... I wouldn't know what to say. You know that no human should know about the dead."

**Yet you do. Tell me the truth, Ichigo.**

Ichigo sighed. "You know me too well, Zangetsu."

_"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec, jus' round this bend here."_ Hagrid's voice echoed through the buildings.

Yes, Hogwarts truly was a magnificent sight, yet Ichigo couldn't help but be reminded of Las Noches, and its inhabitants.

**Have you noticed? **Zangetsu spoke up again.

"What?"

Zangetsu sighed and pointed to his left. Ichigo turned and blinked in surprise.

At first glance, it seemed to be the usual; buildings with a blue sky in the background. When he looked closer however, it shimmered, as if it was an illusion. Ichigo frowned. It was almost as if his mind ended there. But there were no boundaries inside his mindscape.

He walked toward it cautiously, and reached for it. His hand slid through slowly, like it was going through something sticky. Ichigo scowled and pulled his hand back.

"What is this, Zangetsu?"

**Your mind is doing a little... remodeling.**

"R... Remodeling? It's changing? Like when my mind downgraded into a miniature Karakura Town?" Ichigo asked, slightly panicked.

**Yes and no, it is more like... it is merging with another mind. Harry's, to be precise. **

Ichigo stared, dumbfounded, at Zangetsu.

_(Silence)_

"****! What the hell are you talking about, Zangetsu!"

**When you first got... stuck (for lack of appropriate word)... with Harry, it was this; two souls in one body. But as Harry's reiatsu continues to grow, the two of your contrasting reiatsus will begin to react and merge together. **

"B-B-But, that's horrible!" Exclaimed Ichigo. "I don't want to become Harry, and Harry probably doesn't want to become me either!"

**Do not worry. It will take a little less than seven more years for you two to become one. **

Here, Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief.

**However, that is not why I have brought this up. As the time comes closer, Harry will begin to receive your memories in little bits in pieces. It will not make sense to him in the beginning, but sooner or later, he will know what they are. When that time comes, you can no longer hide the truth from him. Surely you have noticed the slight tinge of hollow in his** **reiatsu.  
**

Ichigo sighed and looked down, his expression changing to resignation. "It's because... because before I can tell him about his reiatsu, I have to tell him about... my past."

Zangetsu stared at him but did not comment, encouraging Ichigo to go on.

"What if he hates me for it, Zangetsu? What if, that unlike Ishida, Chad, Rukia ,Inoue, Renji, and everyone else, he doesn't accept it?"

Zangetsu's eyes, seen clearly from under his shades, cleared with understanding.

But he could not find a single word to say.

"Oy, Zangetsu..." Ichigo spoke up, glaring suspiciously at his zanpaktou, "...how the hell do you know all this stuff anyways?"

**...**

**I am a zanpaktou. I know many things.  
**

"... What kind of answer is that?"

* * *

Harry gasped. So did the people around him. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing.

"Forgive and forget I say, we ought to give him another chance-"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name, and you know, he's not really even a ghost-"

_G-G-Ghosts? _Ichigo stuttered. Harry sniggered under his breath, he would never tell Ichigo, but it was hilarious to see him freaked out, since he almost never was.

_What, is the strawberry afraid of ghosts?_

_I regret ever telling you the difference between what my name means and what strawberry means.  
_

Harry watched as the Friar and the ghost with the ruff questioned a few of the other first-years.

_Th-That's just impossible... living... Soul... _Harry couldn't really hear what Ichigo was muttering, but he suspected that he was talking to Zangetsu. Whenever Ichigo talked to him, Harry could never hear the conversation properly unless he joined in or if he really concentrated.

Professor McGonagall returned and led them all into the Great Hall, Harry's legs feeling oddly like lead blocks. They walked through a pair of double doors and into a room, filled with candles and a ceiling that looked like the sky.

Right in front of the first-years, Professor McGonagall placed a stool with ragged wizards hat.

_Maybe we have to try and get a rabbit out of it, _Harry said wildly.

_Are you sure you're ok? You're acting a little strange; I don't really think they would even bother to teach you something as stupid as that. And in plus, don't magicians pull rabbits out of those non-pointy hats? _

Suddenly, the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth-and the hat began to sing:

_"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,  
_

_I'll eat myself if you can find  
_

_A smarter hat than me.  
_

_You can keep your bowlers black,  
_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,  
_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
_

_And I can cap them all.  
_

_There's nothing hidden in your head  
_

(Here, Ichigo gulped)

_The Sorting Hat can't see, _

_So try me on and I will tell you  
_

_Where you ought to be.  
_

_You might belong in Gryffindor,  
_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,  
_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
_

_Set Gryffindors apart;  
_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
_

_Where they are just and loyal,  
_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;  
_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
_

_If you've a ready mind,  
_

_Where those of wit and learning,  
_

_Will always find their kind;  
_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin  
_

_You'll make your real friends,  
_

_Those cunning folk use any means  
_

_To achieve their ends.  
_

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!  
_

As the hall burst into applause, Harry glanced at Ron, who was a sickly shade of green. Yes, it did sound better than having to wrestle a troll, which was what Fed had told Ron. But, he did wish they could have tried it on without everyone watching. The hat seemed to be asking rather a lot; Harry didn't feel brave or quick-witted or any of it at the moment. Even Ichigo sounded nervous, and that was never a good thing.

Yes, if only the hat had mentioned a house for people who felt a bit queasy, that would have been the one for him.

Professor McGonagall began reading off people's names in alphabetical order. "Abbot, Hannah!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

As Harry watched Hermione being sorted into Gryffindor, Ichigo spoke up, sounding more anxious than he had ever heard him. _Harry...?_

_Yes?_ Harry asked cautiously, what would have made Ichigo so... so... timid?_  
_

_If you get into Slytherin because of me, you won't hate me, right?_

Harry blinked in shock; he hadn't even realized that Ichigo could have been part of his Sorting.

_Well, probably not..._

_Oh, good._ Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief.

_... but I might. _Harry ended, half-joking. He didn't really mean it, after all, he knew Ichigo, and Ichigo was perfect material for Gryffindor.

_That doesn't make me feel any better. _Ichigo groaned.

"Potter, Harry!"

Harry stepped forward, and whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

"_Potter, _did she say?"

"_The _Harry Potter?"

Both Harry and Ichigo groaned simultaneously while Zangetsu said, **_You will be fine._  
**

How could he be so calm?

The last thing Harry saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was the hall full people craning to get a good look at him. Next second he was looking at the black inside the hat. He waited.

_H-Hey! _Harry heard Ichigo yell.

_"Hmm, interesting interesting. Two souls in one? And in this situation? And you are... oh my..." _

_**Who are you?**_Zangetsu asked with a hint of menace.

_"Do not worry, I am the Sorting Hat. I've come to sort you three. Difficult. Very difficult."_

_What? _Harry blinked, surprised. The Sorting Hat could speak with Ichigo and Zangetsu?

_"Well, your... situation... does not change anything. Plenty of courage in all of you. None of you have a bad mind either. Oh my goodness, those are some nasty secrets, young man..."_

_Stop it, you... you... hat! _Ichigo gritted out.

_**I'm afraid you will have to leave. We do not take kindly to visitors.**_Zangetsu said with a bit of a grimace on the last word.

_"Yes, you're afraid I will spill your secrets? There's no need to worry, I'm not allowed, no matter how hard they ask. It's part of the Sorting... talent, much talent- and a thirst to prove yourself. In both of you, I see. _

Harry felt a small shock of surprise. A thirst to prove himself? And in Ichigo as well? Maybe that was why Ichigo had asked before; he gripped the edges of the stool and thought, _Not Slytherin, not Slytherin. _

_"Not Slytherin, eh? Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it's all in your head, and all the power you want, Kurosaki Ichigo. Slytherin will help you get what you want, no doubt about that- no? Well, if you're so sure- better be _GRYFFINDOR!"

As the hat shouted the last word to the whole hall, Harry took off the hat and walked shakily toward the Gryffindor table. He was so shaken with confusion that he hardly noticed that he was getting the largest cheer yet.**  
**

"Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

As the food appeared onto the golden plate, Harry methodically piled his plate with a little bit of everything. Normally he would have been beyond pleased to see so much food, as the Dursleys had never let him eat as much as he liked, but he was too concerned.

What had the Sorting Hat called Ichigo? K(something)... Ichigo? He had said it too fast, and Harry hadn't caught it. What had the hat meant when he said Ichigo wanted power?

Distracted, Harry glanced at the High Table. Harry saw Professor Quirrell, the young professor he had met in Diagon Alley, talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin.

It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past Quirrell's turban straight into Harry's eyes- and a sharp, hot pain shot across the scar on Harry's forehead.

"Ouch!"

Harry heard Ichigo gasp, like he had been snapped out of his thoughts. _Harry? _He asked urgently. _What happened? _

_I don't know, he, _He discreetly pointed in the greasy-haired man and Professor Quirrell's direction. _Just looked at me and my scar hurt. _

_Wait, which one? _

_The one without the turban. _

Harry sensed Ichigo frowning as he said, _Keep an eye on them. _

_Who?_

_Both of them. Especially the one with the turban._

Harry frowned thoughtfully. Professor Quirrell seemed harmless, although the other man didn't. There was a feeling he got from the teacher's look- a feeling that he didn't like Harry at all.

"Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" Harry asked Percy the Prefect.

"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to- everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape."

Soon, the meal ended, and Professor Dumbledore stood up and made a few more announcements- that it was forbidden to go to the Forbidden Forest (_duh, we could kind of tell from name, jii-san) _and the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side.

After that, the Hogwarts school song (with the Weasley twins singing a slow funeral march) and Percy gathered up the first-years and led them up staircases and past portraits, narrowly escaping Peeves the polterologist's wrath.

"Password?"

"Caput Draconis."

The portrait swung open, revealing the Gryffindor common room. Harry and Ron walked to their dormitory and found their beds.

"Great food, isn't it?" Ron muttered to Harry. "Get _off, _Scabbers! He's chewing my sheets."

Ichigo started to say something like _S... watch...careful... _but it was too late, Harry was already asleep.

Perhaps he had eaten a bit too much though, because he had a very strange dream. He was wearing Professor Quirrell's turban, which kept telling him that he must transfer into Slytherin because it was his destiny. The more Harry refused, the heavier it seemed to get. He tried to pull it off but it tightened painfully- and with one mighty tug, it unraveled, shielding Harry's eyes from it's surroundings for a few moments.

It was _him- _with a large bone-like structure on his face. A desert. The night with a large crescent moon. No sound, and the image had bad reception. A woman- shouting something, like she wanted him to hear, only he couldn't she tried over and over again, but no noise came out of her mouth. Finally-

"KUROSAKI-KUN!"

A blade. Black, and then- there was a burst of green light and Harry woke, sweating and shaking.

He rolled over and fell asleep, and he didn't remember the dream at all.

He hadn't even realized that Ichigo stayed oddly silent after he had woken up.

* * *

**Well, I'm done! My chapters are getting longer and longer, huh. It's just that, there's so much stuff I have to fit in inside each chapter, and somehow, even though I think it's enough, it just keeps going and going.  
**

**Well, review if you really, really, want to.  
**


	7. Lessons

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or Harry Potter.**

**It's a bit embarrassing, but I admit it: In my vocabulary I know a total of 4 bad words. Isn't it wonderful? I'm counting on you, asterisks...  
**

**The OMG Cat: Oh, you're right! I'll fix it... soon... maybe... probably not... I'm too lazy...**

* * *

There was a lot more to magic, Harry soon learned, than waving your wand and saying a few funny words.

Every Wednesday at midnight they had Astronomy and learned about the stars. Three times a week they went to the greenhouses to study Herbology, which was taught by a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout.

The most boring class was History of Magic. A ghost, Professor Binns, taught this class, and as Ichigo had so eloquently put it, he had probably bored himself to death.

Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was by far the shortest professor Ichigo and Harry had ever seen. He was rather excitable though...

Professor McGonagall was strict, and apparently Ichigo liked that. _It's good to be firm, _he said. _Just not too harsh. _McGonagall taught Transfiguration.

Everyone was looking forward to Defense Against the Dark Arts, but they were severely disappointed. Professor Quirrell turned to be a bit of a joke.

Every class had been alright, he mused as he and Ron left the castle to Hagrid's, except for Potions.

* * *

Potions took place in the dungeons. It was already colder in here than the catsle, and it didn't help that there were pickled animals floating in jars next to the walls.

"Ah, yes, Harry Potter. Our new- _celebrity_."

Ichigo growled softly, forgetting that no one but Zangetsu and Harry could hear him.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron and its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses..."

Harry mentally yawned for Ichigo's amusement and exchanged looks with Ron. That, perhaps, might have been a little too melodramatic. Harry swore that Ichigo was muttering something about a greasy *** that *** too much.

"Potter!" Snape snapped suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Harry, glanced at Ron, who looked as stumped as he was; Hermione's and Neville's (the guy who had lost his toad on the train) hand had shot up in the air.

_It's the Draught of Death, _Ichigo answered impatiently.

_What? _Harry blinked in surprise. _I thought you said that you would only help me on homework?_

_This is a different case, you learn that at the end of the book. _Ichigo said irritably. _Does Snape really expect everyone to have read the whole book during the summer? _

"Well Potter, I'm waiting."

"It's the Draught of Living Death, sir."

Snape's lips curled in disgust.

"Well then, our celebrity has actually thought to open a book before coming, eh? Where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

_Ok, that's it. _Ichigo snapped. _I'm going to be the worst know-it-all I can be. Repeat after me: _

Harry obediantly opened his mouth.

"(_A bezoar is) _A bezoar is- _(a stone taken from the stomach of a goat) _a stone taken from the stomach of a goat- _(and will save you from) _and will save you from- _(most poisons) _most poisons _(such as) _such as-"

"Enough!" Snape snapped. Still ignoring Neville's and Hermione's hands, he asked once again, "What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

Harry, who had finally had enough of Snapes "shenanigans", said, "I think Hermione and Neville know the answer, why don't you ask them?"

Snape's attention suddenly turned to Neville (he had probably heard about his miserable failure in turning a toothpick into a needle) and with badly concealed mania, he said, "Well, Longbottom, answer it."

Neville answered, his voice just barely shaking. "Monkshood and and wolfsbane are the same plant, which is also known as aconite."

Snape froze with surprise, and Ichigo tried his best to smother his laughter (he had once again forgotten that almost no one could hear him). Then he snapped, "Well? Why aren't you all writing this down?"

As everyone rummaged around for their quills and parchment, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter."

After that Snape put everyone into pairs and set them into mixing a potion for curing boils. He swept around the classroom, criticizing everyone except Malfoy, whom he favored.

It didn't help that Neville had accidentally melted Seamus' cauldron into a blob, burning holes into people's shoes as the potion seeped across the room. Neville, who had been drenched in the potion, sat up painfully but otherwise didn't make a sound.

"Idiot boy!" Snape snarled. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"

Neville nodded in an agonized way, but he didn't break contact from Snape's eyes until he spat at Seamus, "Take him to the hospital wing." then he turned around and rounded up to Harry and Ron, who had been working next to Neville.

"You- Potter- why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, didn't you? That's another point you've lost from Gryffindor."

It was so unfair that Harry opened up his mouth to protest (much to Ichigo's urging) but Ron kicked him discreetly.

"Don't push it. I've heard Snape can be very nasty."

It wasn't fair- he was struggling with his potion as well (Ichigo wasn't helping him on that), how he been able to watch both himself and Neville?

* * *

"Another Weasley, eh? I spent half of me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest."

Harry and Ron were delighted to hear Hagrid call Filch "that old git."

"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her- Filch puts her up to it."

"Really?" Harry asked, interested. "Mrs. Norris follows me around as well. I just walk around a corner- and there she is."

_Oh, don't remind me about that, _said Ichigo, shuddering. _I have a bad experience with cats... _Then, in a lower voice, _Oi, Zangestu, do ya think Mrs. Norris can sense reiatsu?_

_**Mhn. It is possible, she seems slightly magical.**** Animals are more perceptive than humans.**_**  
**

Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Hagrid, like Ron, told Harry not to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students.

Yet Harry couldn't help thinking that Hagrid didn't quite meet his eyes when he said that.

_He is obviously lying. _Ichigo snorted. _Snape hates And Harry, if it's going to continue like this, I won't be able to help you. At all. I mean, you don't me to go out in front of anybody, but when are you not surrounded by people? _

Harry bit his lip. Ichigo was right. He didn't want anybody, not even Ron, to know about Ichigo until he was ready to. Which meant that if Ichigo came out, he would have to find a place where nobody went. Where no one went... somewhere forbidden? Yes, he decided, he would let Ichigo in the third corridor. No one ever went there.

Harry noticed a cutting from the _Daily Prophet: _

**Gringotts Break-In Latest **

Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown.

Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been empties the same day.

"But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokegoblin this afternoon.

"Hagrid!" said Harry, "that Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"

There was no doubt about it, Hagrid definitely didn't meet Harry's eyes this time. He grunted and offered Harry another rock cake. Harry read the story again. _The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied earlier that day. _Harry thought about. That grubby- looking package Hagrid had taken from vault seven hundred and thirteen...

_**Harry.**_

Harry jumped in surprise. Zangetsu rarely talked to him, he almost forgot he was there. _Yes? _

_**On that day, did you see Quirrell or Snape at all?**_

_Yeah,_ Harry said cautiously, not sure what Zangetsu was getting at. _I met Professor Quirrell at the Leaky Cauldron. _

_Zangetsu, you don't think- _Ichigo started.

_**Yes, Ichigo. I do.**_

Feeling rather bewildered, Harry and Ron walked back to the castle for dinner, their pockets that had been weighed down with rock cakes they'd been too polite to refuse. What had Ichigo and Zangetsu meant about Professor Quirrell and Snape?

Harry thought that none of the lessons he'd had so fr had given him as much to think about as tea with Hagrid.

* * *

_Sunday, two days after the disastrous Potion lesson.  
_

Harry sneakily crept up the stairs, towards the third corridor. He was right, there really was no one there.

Harry crept towards the room to the right, looking back to make sure no one saw him.

_Hurry up! _Ichigo snapped impatiently.

_Shut up, _Harry shot back. _I am doing this all for you, you know. Ok, go over the plan again. _

_Getchangedintotherobesyou'reholding, explorealliwant, don'tattractattentionorcausetrou ble, asit'llbehardtoexplainwhoiam. _Ichigo recited in one breath.

_...Close enough. _

Ichigo took a big breath and opened his eyes. He grinned. Oh, this was going to be so much fun...

* * *

**Anyone else notice the slight change in Neville's behavior? Hmm... I wonder why... ^.^ Thanks to killroy225 for giving the idea (shit, you probably know it now)!**

**Still open for new ideas, so if anybody has something they really want to see, tell me and I just might add it in!**


	8. Exploring

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Except for my plotline, which kind of sucks.**

* * *

Ichigo hummed cheerily as he skipped down the hall.

Correction: Ichigo walked happily down the hall. What was there not to be happy about? After all, he hadn't been out in a week, it was starting to get boring inside.

_Ichigo, _Harry said cautiously. _If you keep keep on walking, you're going to crash into the w...all..._

Later on, Ron came passing by, and stared. Why was there a large, head shaped dent in a cement wall?

He sighed and shook his head in bewilderment. Must have been one of Fred and George's pranks.

Ichigo sighed and rubbed his head. Harry snickered in the background as he scowled furiously. He walked (carefully) toward the Great Hall in a lazy manner as the people around him increased. Once in a while, one kid would throw a strange glance at his long, bright orange hair, but seeing Ichigo's glare, they backed off.

_So, what are you going to do? _Asked Harry curiously.

_I'm going to go spy on Snape and Quirrell to see if they're up to something. _

_So you're going to stalk them. _

Ichigo growled in frustration. _Why is it that you're all timid and polite to everyone except me? Even to that Weasley kid, you act all mature and sensible. But no, when you talk to me, you have to make fun... _He trailed off as he noticed Snape walking briskly down the corridor, his face set to its usual sneer.

_Ah, greaseball is here! _Ichigo exclaimed.

Snape continued walking, as Ichigo discreetly followed him, hiding behind whatever he could find when Snape turned his way. To his surprise, Snape walked not to his office, but to a hallway where a large gargoyle stood.

Ichigo blinked. Harry had never explored this part of the castle before. _Harry, do you know where we are? _

_I think, _Harry said slowly, _that we're in the Headmaster's Tower. Snape must be visiting Professor Dumbledore. What do you reckon he's doing here_

Ichigo watched as Snape stared at the gargoyle and said very clearly, "Lemon drops."

The gargoyle slid aside, revealing a spiral staircase. Snape stepped onto the stairs. Ichigo stared, as he wasn't too used this whole 'magic' thing yet.

Ichigo quickly got out his stupor though, as the gargoyle started to slide back. He cursed and raced to the opening. But it was too late, the gargoyle was already back in place.

_Shit, what am I supposed to now?_

**_Perhaps you could try and say the password, "lemon drops." _**

_... Right, I knew that!  
_

Ichigo slipped up the stairs, just in time to hear Snape through the door-

"-mediocre, arrogant as his father, a determined rule-breaker, delighted to find himself famous, attention seeking and impertinent-"

"You see what you want to see, Severus," said a voice Ichigo identified as the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. "Other teachers report that the boy is modest, likeable, and reasonably talented. Personally, I find an engaging child."

Ichigo snorted quietly. Harry, a charming child? _As if._

_Hey! _

There was a rustling sound, and Dumbledore spoke again. "Keep an eye on Quirrell, won't you?"

There was a slight pause and the sounds of footsteps (Snape?) clacked to the door.

Oh, shit. Ichigo gulped. There was no way he was going to get down the staircase in time, and he didn't have anything to hide behind.

_We're doomed... I'm going to be expelled... _Harry muttered miserably.

_Shut up! Let me think! _

Well, he supposed, there was one way. He'd never tried it in a human body before, but if he didn't want to be caught, there was no other-

Severus opened the door in a loud bang and angrily clambered down the stairs. He was in a horrible mood, so bad in fact, that he forgot to check what that odd noise was coming from above him...

Ichigo sighed in relief, standing 5 feet midair above Snape. That was a close one. He was glad that he could still use his reiatsu efficiently, even in a body.

He waited until Snape was far off until he dropped back down onto the staircase, landing very neatly.

_**Ichigo.**_

_What is it, old man? _

Zangetsu stayed silent for a second, wondering whether Ichigo was really that dim. _**You realize that you did that in front of Harry, yes?**_

_..._

_... _

_***! _

* * *

Ichigo sighed. Again. Because the 'incident', Harry refused to let Ichigo stay out any longer. So here he was, walking back to the third- floor corridor.

_Well, I might, if you tell me what exactly you did back there. _

_I refuse. _Ichigo said stoutly.

_Well, then no. _

For a moment, Ichigo seriously considered making a run for it.

_**Ichigo. You cannot run away from someone that shares the same body as you.**_

Never mind.

Seeing as there was no way to escape, his mood grew worse, and he didn't even notice when bumped into two lookalike red-headed third years. Little did he know that the two red-heads exchanged muddled looks, and looked very carefully at the piece of parchment between them.

But what he did notice though, was that someone stood in front door on the right hand side of the third- floor corridor.

It was Quirrell.

Ichigo quickly backed away, behind a wall of an intersection of two corridors.

Ichigo could only see the backside of Quirrell, but it looked like he was staring very intently at the door. Then he muttered something that was unintelligible to himself and strode away. As Quirrell walked past Ichigo he caught a glimpse of his his face. And to his surprise, it wasn't the ordinary nervous look that he had on, but a cold and murderous one.

Quirrell slipped past Ichigo's vision, but he continued staring at the door darkly. In this world of magic, practically everything magical had a trace of reiatsu on it. Behind the door however, Ichigo sensed a darker reiatsu behind many layers of enchantments.

_Just what is it? _

In a flash, he whirled around. Harry, he knew, had no idea what had just happened. But he knew better. After being in a war, his senses had increased dramatically. He (or she), Ichigo mused, must have been a master at hiding reiatsu, because he hadn't sensed anything at all (and he gotten a lot better in the last decade).

Somebody had been watching him.

Then he frowned. On the floor, something glinted. Bending down, he picked it up. A slow incredulous smile spread to his lips.

"It couldn't be..."

* * *

"Typical," Harry grumbled to Ron. "Just what I wanted. To make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy."

Just his luck. First, Ichigo refused to reveal just how he had managed to float 10 feet in the air. Now, he was going to fall off his broom in front of Malfoy.

Even worse, he knew something was going on inside the castle. Behind that door was something valuable, and either Quirrell or Snape wanted it.

"You don't know that you'll make a fool of yourself. Anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk." Ron said reasonably.

It was true, Malfoy often bragged about his skill on a broomstick, but then again, Ron did as well. Even Neville had been on a broomstick before, and considering his clumsiness, it was a surprise to everyone when he told them that the only reason he fell off was because his Uncle Algie tried to throw something at him to test his agility.

"I may not be the most coordinated person," Neville said, his face tinted pink, "But I'm certainly not the worst."

The only Gryffindor who was extremely nervous was Hermione Granger, who seemed to realize that riding a broomstick was not something she could learn from books. Not that she didn't try, she bored them stupid by reading a book called _Quidditch Through the Ages. _

Finally, when Harry had gotten enough of her lecture, he stood up and told her, "Hermione, I'm sure _everyone appreciates _it and all, but would you please shut. Up."

Hermione glanced at Harry in shock, and with a loud "Hmph!", she gathered her books and exited the Great Hall.

_._

_And here I thought I didn't manage to teach you anything at all._

_Be quiet, Ichigo. _

* * *

**Gah. Real life is such a bitch. I'm sorry people, this chapter isn't 2000 words...  
**

**Ok, I admit it, that wasn't the only reason why it's been a while, but I'm don't think anyone wants to hear my excuses and I want to keep this short and sweet.**

**Also, I've caved in and decided to add a Bleach character. But just _one. _You hear me? No more!**

**Review if you want to. The. End.**


	9. Author's Notice

**Sorry people, not an update.**

**I was planning on updating today, but I didn't finish on time... I only need to write the last scene of the chapter and I'm done.**

**Which means, ordinarily, that I would be updating tomorrow. However, that's not the case. From Thursday to Sunday morning I will be in Fresno, California, participating in CBDA All-State Honor Band.**

**For those of you who know what it is, you'll understand what a big honor it is to actually be accepted into this group. For those of you who don't... I just hope that you won't say what my friend said.**

**"As in, All-State Insurance?"**

**Well, have a nice end of February peeps. :D**


	10. Stupid Omake

Ichigo stared. And stared. And stared.

"I'm bored."

Zangetsu sighed. **Then go talk to Harry. **

"I can't. He told me to shut up."

Zangetsu muffled his groan. It was unlike his wielder to be in a mood like this, but it happened once in a while. And when it did, it was insufferable. All Ichigo did was complain and be depressed.

Stage 1: Start sinking into depression, mumbling about his friends from Karakura and Soul Society.

Stage 2: Start cursing Aizen, and Grimmjow, and Ulquiorra, and single person he fought before.

Stage 3: Revert back to Stage 1.

Stage 4: Start counting how many people he ever met in his life, including zanpaktous.

Stage 5: Revert back to Stage 2.

And it went over and over again, forever looping.

* * *

Stage 1

"Ah... I wonder if Rukia ever got promoted to vice-captain. She was definitely strong enough..."

Zangetsu stood by Ichigo, his expression stoic.

_Endure... endure... endure... _

* * *

Stage 2

"DAMN YOU AIZEN! YOU STUPID EGOISTICAL BUTTERFLY!"

_Endure... Endure... Endure..._

* * *

Stage 3

"I wonder if Ikkaku ever stopped shaving his head, he'd look better if he wasn't bald."

_Endure__Endure__Endure__Endure__Endure__Endure__Endure__Endure__Endure__Endure__Endure_

* * *

Stage 4

"So that would be 15, then Renji (16), Keigo (17), Ukitake-san (18), and..."

Zangetsu's eyebrow twitched. The truth was, Zangetsu could easily force Ichigo out of his depression, but he didn't, for one simple reason.

He didn't want to.

So:

_ENDURE__ENDURE__ENDURE__ENDURE__ENDURE__ENDURE__ENDURE__ENDURE__ENDURE__ENDURE__ENDURE__ENDURE__ENDURE__ENDURE__ENDURE__ENDURE__ENDURE__ENDUREENDUR__-_

Wait a second.

**Ichigo. **

Ichigo turned to his sword, confused. "What?"

**You are not usually in these... moods, so I am not sure... but I think you have missed someone in your counting. **

"Really?" Ichigo replied, raising his eyebrow. "I swear I got everyone at least once... So who did I miss? Imoyama-san?"

**Kon.**

"..."

"..."

"... Who's that?"

**... **Zangetsu stared. And stared. And stared.

_End of Stupid Omake._

* * *

**The next chapter is coming soon (really, it is!) so while I was working on it, I thought that I would publish this omake (Inspiration: Do you know how many great stories completely forget that Kon is a character? I mean, seriously, I read like 15 stories one day, and on the last one, Kon made an appearance! And I was all like, "OMG I FORGOT THAT KON WAS A CHARACTER!")  
**

**The OMG Cat: To make a long explanation short: It's a thing where a lot of band students from around California try out for a band and all meet together to practice and perform one weekend.**

**And... REVIEW!**

**If you want to.**


	11. The Marauder's Map

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Bleach.**

* * *

At three-thirty that afternoon, Harry, Ron and the other Gryffindors hurried down the front steps onto the ground for their first flying lesson.

The Slytherins were already there, as were 20 or so broomsticks lying in neat lines.

_This is stupid, _Ichigo mumbled. _And horribly cliche. _

_It is not._ Harry replied.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" Madam Hooch barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."

Harry looked at his broom. It was old and some of the twigs stuck out at odd places.

_I mean, seriously. That looks like it won't even support your weight! You'd probably break your neck!_

_I don't think the school would let their students ride around on broken brooms, Ichigo. _

As Ichigo continued protesting, Harry ignored him and listened to Madam Hooch's instructions. "Stick out your right hand over your broom and say 'up!'"

"Up!" Everyone shouted.

Harry's broom jumped into his hand at once, but it was one of the few that did. Hermione Granger's had rolled over, and Neville's had gone halfway and fell back down.

Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms. Ron and Harry were delighted to hear that Malfoy had been doing it wrong for years.

_The expression on his face was priceless. _Ichigo cackled.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard. Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle- one- two- three!"

Harry pushed down hard on the ground and shot into the air, 20 feet or so high. Air rushed through his hair, and his robes whipped out behind him- and in rush of fierce joy he realized he'd found something he could do without being taught- this was easy, this was _wonderful. _He pulled his broomstick up to take it even higher.

_Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop__stop__stop__stop__stop__stop_! Ichigo moaned. _We're gonna fall,_ w_e're gonna fall,_ _we're gonna __fall_, w_e'regonna__fall_w_e'regonna__fall_w_e'regonna__fall_w_e'regonna__fall_w_e'regonna__fall_w_e'regonna__fall_-

Harry grinned cheerfully, ignoring the cheering and shouts from below.. _Then, do you want to go back down? _

Ichigo, probably sensing that Harry was planning something, said slowly, _Yes...? _

Harry leaned forward and pointed his broom handle down- next second he was gathering speed in a steep dive-

_No, no, no, no, nononononononono! _Ichigo shrieked. _This isn't what by saying I wanted to back down! __We'regonnacrash_w_e'regonnacrash- _

-Wind whistled in his ears, mingled with the screams of Madam Hooch and the students- two feet from the ground he pulled his broom straight and landed neatly on the ground.

Harry got off his broom and brushed his clothes off. Then he looked at the gaping Madam Hooch and said very innocently, "Yes?"

"HARRY POTTER!"

* * *

"You're _joking_."

It was dinnertime, and Harry had just finished telling Ron what happened after Professor McGonagall dragged him off.

"_Seeker?_" he said. "McGonagall's letting you become _seeker_? But first years _never_- you must be the youngest house player in about-"

"- a century," Harry said, shoveling pie into his mouth. He felt particularly hungry after all the excitement of the afternoon. "Wood, the Quidditch captain, told me."

Ron was so impressed that he just sat and stared at Harry.

_If he stares at you anymore, I'm going to get very annoyed._

_Well sorry that you're in a bad mood, but it's not my fault._ Harry protested, quickly understanding Ichigo's comment. _Unless... don't tell me you're still mad about my stunt with the broomstick?_

_..._

_It can't be helped, it's not like you ever told me you were afraid of heights._

_I AM NOT!_ Ichigo yelped in protest._ What I'm afraid is falling to my death!  
_

Fred and George Weasley now came into the hall, spotted Harry, and hurried over.

"Well done," said George in a low voice. "Wood told us. We're on the team too- Beaters."

"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch cup for sure this year." Fred said. "We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good Harry, Wood was almost skipping when he told us."

"Anyways, we need to ask you something, Harry."

Harry blinked as Ron leaned in to listen. "What is it?"

"Not right here!" George hissed, pushing Ron away. "We'll meet you in the Gryffindor common room at midnight, alright?"

Bewildered, Harry nodded mutely.

"And don't bring Ron with you."

"Hey!"

Fred and George had hardly disappeared when someone far less welcome turned up: Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.

"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?"

Ron and Harry glared coldly at Malfoy and his goonies while Ichigo did, well, what he did best. Insult people (_What!?__ That's not true!_).

"I'm challenging you to a wizards duel. Wands only- no contact. We'll meet in the trophy room at midnight. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizards duel before, I suppose?"

"Of course he has," said Ron. "Only-"

"Only I've already got something planned," Harry said smoothly. "So unless you've got something else to say, shove off Malfoy."

Malfoy smirked at them, and in one swift motion (did Harry just see... disappointment?) he stalked off, Crabbe and Goyle following. Harry and Ron glanced at each other, confused. That was... strange.

"Excuse me."

They both looked up. It was Hermione Granger.

"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" said Ron.

"I couldn't help but overhear what you and Malfoy were saying-"

"Bet you could," Ron muttered.

"- and don't get me wrong, I'm pleased that you didn't go along with Malfoy, but you _musn't _go meeting with other people at night either, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really selfish of you."

"And it's really none of your business," said Harry. "We're meeting in the common room anyway."

"Good-bye," said Ron.

* * *

Harry, seated in the chair nearest to the fireplace, fidgeted uneasily as he waited for the twins to arrive. He glanced at the nearest clock. It was a minute before midnight.

_Maybe they want me to help them on a prank, _he mused.

_I doubt it, _Ichigo said. _They seemed oddly serious, I don't think that's going to be the point of this meeting.  
_

At that moment, the twins burst through the portrait hole rather unceremoniously, Fred holding onto George's shoulder for support.

The two gasped for breath for a moment, then looked up at Harry. "We're not late, are we?"

Harry shook his head.

"Okay," said George. "We're going to have to ask you not to reveal this to anybody. _Anybody_, you understand? Not even Ronny-kins."

As Harry voiced his agreement, Fred pulled out a wrinkled piece of parchment from his pocket and held it up for Harry and Ichigo/Zangetsu to see. It was blank. Harry, despite what Ichigo had said, suspected that it must've been one of Fred and George's jokes, and stared at it.

"What's this supposed to be?"

"This, Harry, is the secret to our success," said George, patting the parchment fondly.

"A bit of old parchment?" Harry asked.

"A bit of old parchment!" said Fred, closing his eyes with a grimace as though Harry had mortally offended him. "Explain, George."

"Well... when we were in our first year, Harry- young, carefree and innocent-"

Both Harry and Ichigo snorted.

"- well, more innocent than we are now- we got into a tight spot of bother with Filch."

"We let off a Dungbomb in the corridor and it upset him for some reason-"

"So he hauled us off to his office and started threatening us with the usual-"

"-detention-"

"-disembowelment-"

"-and we couldn't help but noticing a drawer in one of his filing cabinets marked _Confiscated and Highly Dangerous." _

"Don't tell me-" Harry said, starting to grin.

"Well, what would've you done? George caused another diversion by dropping another Dungbomb, I whipped the drawer open ,and grabbed- _this." _

"And you know how to work it?"

"Oh yes. This little beauty's taught us more than all the teachers in this school."

"You're winding me up."

"Oh, are we?" Then, George took out his wand, touched the parchment lightly, and said, "_I solemnly swear that I am up to no good._"

At once, ink lines spread across the parchment, revealing it to be a perfect map of Hogwarts. What was so remarkable was that there were tiny ink dots moving around, each labelled with a name.

_Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs_

_Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief- Makers_

_are proud to present_

_THE MARAUDER'S MAP _

"Now, one thing you should know about this," said Fred, watching Harry's reaction with a pleased expression, " Is that _The Marauder's Map never lies._"

"Really?" Harry said absentmindedly, gazing at the map. There were seven passageways that led to outside the castle, maybe he could use them sometime...

_What? Never lies... never lies... what does that mean? _Ichigo muttered. _Oh, fuck! It couldn't be! Harry, Harry, listen to me damnit! We're in deep shit! _

Naturally, Harry ignored him

"Yup!" said George. "So that's why we were wondering, could you help explain why we saw a name labelled _Kurosaki Ichigo_?

Harry, not understanding what George said, stared at him blankly for a minute.

_Kurosaki... Ichigo? No, wait a second, ICHIGO? _

"I don't know what you're talking about." He lied, forcing himself to stare the twins in the eye.

"My, my, Harry." Fred said, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "All right, how about this? Last Sunday, George and I were walking down the corridor, minding our own business (for once)."

Seeing Harry's disbelieving glance, Fred said, "Oh fine, we were planning our next prank. So here we are, looking at possible prank locations on the Marauder's Map, when somebody pushes past us-"

"Very rudely, mind you-"

"-Yes, and seeing as we've never seen him before-"

"-We were sure we hadn't; who could forget that orange hair?"

"We checked his name. And there it was; Kurosaki Ichigo."

Harry forced himself not to panic, and ignored Ichigo's... well, whatever he was doing in there, it was loud.

_**Deny it.**_

_Of course. _

"I still don't know what this has to do with me." Harry said as calmly as he could.

"I told you didn't I? The Marauder's Map never lies." Fred said. "We followed the name as it walked toward the forbidden corridor. And we couldn't believe it. The dot labelled _Kurosaki Ichigo_ changed into _Harry Potter._"

Harry gulped. This was bad. This was really bad. They had caught him at the worst moment possible.

"And we think-"

"-That we-"

"-Deserve an explanation."

* * *

Ichigo stopped banging his head into the building (cursing himself for his stupidity) as George finished his sentence.

"Zangetsu, explain."

**Mh. The Marauder's Map does not sense bodies, it senses souls. **

"Souls?"

**Yes. Spirits. If it were to sense bodies, then when you came out, it should have still read Harry Potter on the map, as it is still his body. **

"Ah, I see. But if it were to sense souls, shouldn't Harry and I have separate captions/those ink dot stuff?"

**... I am not sure why that is so. However, my best guess is that because you have started to merge with Harry, and will soon become the same soul. **

Ichigo glanced warily at the border of his mind.

_Note to self:_ _Find out a way to stop Harry and I from merging! _

"But man, is this magic stuff complicated. I mean, they use their magic for practically every single thing! Yet when it comes to combat, none of the spells that I've read are even close to useful; they're all too slow."

**I do not think that these wizards are a race that fight often. **

_"I'm sorry guys, but I really can't tell you." _Harry's voice bounced around the buildings. "_No, it's not that I don't trust you, I'm just not ready to tell anybody yet. __Yes, even Ron. I-I just- alright, how about this? I'll make you guys a deal. Before you guys leave Hogwarts, I'll confess every single secret I have. In exchange, you give me your Maurader's Map when I do."  
_

Harry was actually a pretty good at making agreements.

Zangetsu glanced at Ichigo questioningly. **Are you not going to ask...? **

Ichigo stared blankly at his zanpaktou for a second, and his face cleared with understanding.

"Hey, Harry!" He shouted up at the sky.

_What is it? _Harry muttered back, clearly in a dark mood. _If you're asking me to let you 'explore' again, the answer is no. You've caused me enough trouble.  
_

"That's not it. I want you to ask the twins whether they saw another person around us at the time."

_Why? _

"Just do it."

Mentally grumbling, Harry repeated the question to Fred and George.

_"A person? Well-"_

_"-There were two others__ that did seem to be following you-"_

_"Who was it?" _Harry asked impatiently.

_"Well, one of them was that first year, Neville Longbottom_."

_"And the other?" _Asked Harry.

Ichigo heard one of then twins cough nervously, and said, _"The truth is, well, we don't know."_

_"It was another foreign name-"_

_"-Maybe your 'Ichigo' guy knew him-"_

"Yes, maybe he did, which is why the "'Ichigo' guy" needs to know," Ichigo started pacing irritatedly.

_"But his name was- er- what was his name again Fred?"_

_"I do believe it was- er- um- something like..." _George trailed off, clearly not remembering it.

Ichigo groaned. He was this close to knowing and then some dimwits forgot the guy's name! If he was right, then it could have only been one person, and that was-

_"Right, it was-"_

* * *

"SO? What did they tell you?" Ron asked, leaning in towards Harry.

"Nothing important." said Harry, helping himself to some more sausage.

Meanwhile:

_Ichigo! Why did you want me to ask Fred and George that? Did you know that person?_

_Kind of..._

_What kind of answer is that?! Sheesh, for once, can you not tell me half-truths?_

_Harry. *sigh* I can't. There's just... things that I'm not ready to tell the world yet._

_But Zangetsu knows._

_He's... an exception._

_Why can't I be an exception? I've known you longer!_

_Not really._

_Zangetsu, can't you tell me?_

**_No._**

_Why not?_

**_..._ **

_Hey! Don't ignore me! Ichigo, I pry any more for now, but you're going to have to start giving me answers soon._

_..._

_Ichigo?_

_..._

_Hey, Ichigo!_

_..._

_ICHIGO!_

_..._

* * *

"Hey, Harry?"

"..."

"Harry, if we don't get going soon, we're going to be late for Transfiguration."

"..."

"Harry? Harry?! _Harry?!"_

* * *

**Why do I love using ... so much? I mean, even if there really is no need to, I do it anyways... Like in places like that.  
**

**I'm kind of mean, not showing who the person was, huh? Sorry, I just felt that if I revealed the person this early in the story, there would be an extreme lack of suspense.**

**But, it really can't be that hard to guess, so just... assume!**

***Types dot dot dot***

*******Types dot dot dot***

*******Types dot dot dot***

***********Types dot dot dot***

***Types dot dot dot***

**And...**

**...**

**...**

**I don't know.**


	12. Halloween

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and/or Bleach.**

**Darn it, I messed up! The end of the last chapter was supposed to be when Harry got his Nimbus! Well, nobody minds... right? I'll just put the broomstick scene as the morning after that.**

**Agh, Hermione is such a pain in the ass in before the troll accident. It's annoying to write her, she's so... well, you know. And then Ron gets so sissy after he insults Hermione into the bathroom...  
**

* * *

The next morning, Hermione marched over to Harry and Ron.

"You again?" said Ron. "What do you want?"

"I cannot believe that you did that," Hermione said to Harry.

"Did what?" Harry asked.

_If she starts reprimanding you, I'm gonna be pissed.  
_

"Why didn't you turn it in?" Hermione demanded, staring at Harry disapprovingly. "The Marauder's Map?"

_Yup, she's dead by next week._

"Wh-What?" Harry stammered. How did she know about that?

"I almost told your brother," Hermione snapped, turning to Ron, "Percy- he's a prefect, he'd definitely confiscate it."

"Confiscate what?" said Ron, clearly not understanding the situation.

"Look, _Granger_, I have no idea what you're talking about," Harry said, furious that Hermione had been eavesdropping, "But unless you have something that is important to say, why don't you take you and your bossy attitude to the other side of the table?"

Hermione stood there, shocked. "You..." But she quickly regained her standpoint. "I can't believe how selfish you are," she said shrilly. "I know the only reason you're doing this because they know about Ish-"

Harry quickly clamped Hermione's mouth with his hand. "Don't. You. Dare. Say. A. Word."

Ron, now very muddled, stared at the strangest soap opera he'd ever seen.

_Why did she have to hear that part as well? _Ichigo sighed.

The owls then flooded into the Great Hall as usual, and everyone's attention was caught at once by a long thin package carried by six large screech owls. Harry watched in amazement as the owls dropped the parcel right in front of him, knocking his bacon to the floor. They had hardly fluttered out of the way when another owl dropped a letter on top of the parcel.

He removed his hand from Hermione's mouth and ripped open the letter (it would be too much like Dudley to ignore it), with Ron and Hermione leaning over him.

DO NOT OPEN THIS PARCEL AT THE TABLE.

It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't

want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll

all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the

Quidditch field at seven o' clock for your first training session.

Professor M. McGonagall

"A Nimbus Two Thousand!" Ron moaned enviously. "I've never even _touched _one."

Harry saw Malfoy staring at the package gleefully (Probably planning Harry's demise). Smiling, Harry raised his hand and waved cheerfully at him.

Needless to say, Malfoy was... horrified.

Harry turned back to Ron, who looked shocked. "What? It was worth it, look at his face."

"You boys are... are so _stupid!_" Hermione burst out. "And you! You think that broomstick is a reward for breaking the rules?" Without waiting for an answer, she stomped off with her nose in the air.

Harry had a hard time focusing that day (so he made Ichigo pay attention for him). At dinner, he bolted down his food without noticing what he was eating, and rushed upstairs with Ron to unwrap the Nimbus Two Thousand at last.

"Wow," Ron sighed, staring at the unwrapped broomstick.

Ichigo sniffed. _It's just a broom, seriously. That baka **(idiot)**_is_ overreacting. _

Harry, too entranced to notice the foreign word, had a face similar to Ron's. As seven o' clock drew nearer, Harry left the castle and set off towards the Quidditch field, broomstick in hand.

To eager to fly again to wait for Wood, Harry mounted his broom and kicked off from the ground. What feeling- exhilaration- he swooped in out of the goal posts and sped up and down the field. The Nimbus turned wherever he wanted at his lightest touch.

"Hey, Potter, come down!"

...(However many minutes/hours later)...

"... That Quidditch cup'll have our name on it this year," said Wood happily as they trudged back up to the castle. "I wouldn't be surprised if you turn out better than Charlie Weasley, and he could have played for England if he hadn't gone off chasing dragons."

_I feel... nauseous... _Ichigo mumbled without energy.

* * *

Harry couldn't believe that he'd already been at Hogwarts for two months. Classes got more and more enjoyable (it helped that Ichigo assisted him in his work) as they moved away from the basics.

Professor Flitwick had just announced that they were ready to start making objects fly, something they had all been dying to try since they'd seen him make Neville's toad zoom around the classroom.

Harry was paired with Seamus Finnigan, but Ron was not as lucky. He was to be working with Hermione Granger.

_I, for one, am glad you weren't paired up with her. _Said Ichigo. _She is one nosy bitch. _

_Ichigo, language._

_Yes, grandmother._

"_Wingardium Leviosa!_" Harry flicked his wand quickly, but nothing happened.

_Try a b_it _more 'swish' and a slower 'flick'. _Ichigo advised. _Why does this have to sound to stupid? _

Harry ignored the last part and tried again.

"_Wingardium Leviosa!_"

The feather rose off the desk and hovered about 4 feet above their heads.

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Mr. Potter's done it!"

Ron, at the next table, was having much less luck.

"_Wingardium Leviosa!_" he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.

"You're saying it wrong," Harry heard Hermione snap (Which was the first time she'd talked to any one of them since the day Harry's broomstick arrived). "It's Wing-_gar_-dium Levi-_o-_sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."

"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.

_Wrong move, Weasley. _Ichigo called out dryly.

Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and said, "_Wingardium Leviosa!_" Their feather rose in a similar fashion to Harry's. She grinned smugly at Ron, who glared darkly.

Ron was in a very bad mood by the end of class.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her," he said to Harry as they pushed their way into the crowded corridor, "she's a nightmare, honestly, that know-it-all."

_... Have I already established that Weasley is an idiot? That's way too harsh, even on my standards._

Someone knocked into Harry as they hurried past him. It was Hermione. Harry caught a glimpse of her face- and was unsurprised to see that she was in tears. Before she disappeared into the crowd, he grabbed her shoulder. This time Ron had taken it too far. "He didn't mean it, you know," he said.

"He didn't mean it, did he?" She said shrilly, desperately trying to wipe off the tears on her face. "You're just trying to make me feel better. I know what you two think of me. A conceited, big-headed-" She pushed off Harry's hand and ran off.

Hermione didn't turn up for the next class and wasn't seen all afternoon. On their way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, Harry, Ichigo, Zangetsu and Ron overheard Parvati Patil telling her friend Lavender that Hermione was crying in the girls' bathroom and wanted to be left alone. Ron looked very akward at this, but despite Harry's prodding, he refused to apologize.

"It seems I can't say sorry for you, otherwise I would," Harry said to Ron during the feast, "So confess your guilt and be done with it."

"Why should I?" Ron muttered, stuffing his face with food. " She must've noticed that she's got no friends."

_...Harry, may I strangle him? _

Harry was just helping himself to a baked potato when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped, "Troll- in the dungeons- thought you ought to know."

He then sank to the floor in a dead faint.

* * *

Hermione sniffled and took a deep breath.

She was fine. She wasn't bothered by what Ron had said. She could go to the feast and-

She burst into tears once again.

Who was she trying to trick? Of course she was bothered. That- that-that dimwit- had called her- a- a- nightmare!

_"He didn't mean it, you know." _Harry's voice echoed in her head.

"Of course he did," She sobbed. "And You meant it too, Harry Potter!"

_*Thump*_

_*Thump*_

_*Thump*_

That sound... that wasn't the sound of running water. Hermione looked up in confusion.

"HHHHHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKKKKKKKKKKKK KKKKKKKKK!"

Twelve feet tall, with dull, granite gray skin, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was holding was a wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long.

Hermione had read enough on magical creatures to know what it was.

"T-Troll," She squeaked out.

Maybe if she could somehow get around the troll she could sneak out of the exit-

No. That was too dangerous. She didn't think she could even move.

Then, the door opened and Potter and Weasley ran in.

"Confuse it!" Harry said desperately to Ron, and, seizing a tap, he threw it as hard as he could against the wall.

The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Harry and made for him instead, lifting his club as it went.

Oy, pea-brain!" Ron shouted and threw a pipe at the troll. It turned its ugly snout toward Ron instead, giving Harry time to run around it.

"Come on, run, _run!_" Harry yelled at Hermione, but she was still too dazed to respond.

The yelling and echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared and started toward Ron, who was nearest and had no way to escape. Ron helplessly held up his wand and and yelled the first spell that came into his head: "_Wingardium Leviosa!_"

Sadly, Ron had pointed his wand at the troll himself, and was raised a few inches before it toppled back onto the ground. The troll roared again and raised his club high into the air...

"_Kunrinsha yo! Chiniku no kamen, banshō, habataki, hito no na o kansu mono yo! Shōnetsu to sōran, umihedate sakamaki minami e to ho o susume yo_!" An unknown voice called. Hermione blinked, snapping out of her stunned state. The voice... though male, it didn't belong to Harry or Ron. "_Had__ō_ sanjuuichi: Shakkaho!"

Nothing seemed to happen, but the troll swayed on the spot and fell flat on his face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.

Hermione turned, shaking. Where Harry once was stood a someone else.

He wore Gryffindor robes and looked the age of a seventh year, but Hermione had never seen him before.

He was tall, with long orange hair that tumbled down to around his waist. He had a good-looking face, Hermione mused (she was a girl, in the end), with chocolate brown eyes. The only part that didn't seem to match the image was the scowl in his face.

Ron observed in a much less elegant way (he was a boy, in the end) and stuttered out, "Who-who are you?"

The stranger smirked.

"Who do you think, Ron?"

A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the three of them look up. A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, followed by Professor Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat down on a toilet, clutching his heart.

Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at Ron and Harry (had he had appeared so suddenly, Hermione had no idea) angrily. Hermione suddenly realized that the stranger was gone.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice as she looked at the two boys. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

Hermione gulped. Harry and Ron were probably going to be punished. All because they went to go look for her.

_"He didn't mean it, you know." _

Before she could stop herself she spoke.

"Please, Professor McGonagall- they were looking for me." Inwardly, Hermione winced. She didn't mean for her voice to sound so meek.

"Miss Granger!"

"I went looking for the troll because I- I thought I could deal with it on my own- you know, because I've read all about them." She lied.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Harry mouth, _Don't tell. _She understood immediately.

_Don't tell anyone about the stranger._

"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead by now. Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived."

Harry and Ron tried to look as though this story wasn't new to them.

"Well- in that case..." said Professor McGonagall, staring at the three of them, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"

Hermione hung her head in fake shame.

"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to the Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."

Hermione walked out of the bathroom.

As she climbed up to the portrait hole, she was thinking.

_"He didn't mean it, you know."_

_"Who do you think, Ron?" _

How did the stranger know who Ron was?

_"He didn't mean it, you know."_

_"He didn't mean it, you know."_

___"He didn't mean it, you know."_

_"He didn't mean it, you know."_

_Well_, she thought, a smile on her face, _I suppose he really didn't mean it. _

* * *

"I don't believe it," Minerva muttered. "For Miss Granger to do something so brainless..."

Severus stood up, finished with studying the knocked out troll.

"Minerva, get the headmaster."

Minerva blinked. "Good heavens, why Severus?"

"This troll has no concussion on its head, meaning the plank never hit it there."

"You mean the children were lying? But we don't need Albus for disciplining, Severus."

Severus, seeing that Quirrell was still hanging onto the toilet for dear life, quickly ushered himself and Minerva outside. "Not only does this troll have no marks on its head, there is no damage at all, meaning it should be alive and moving. Yet not only is it knocked out, it's dead."

Minerva frowned. "What?"

"The only curse strong enough to that much harm and not leave a mark would be..."

Minerva's eyes widened in understanding.

"... _Avada Kedavra." _

* * *

**Holy... where the heck did the last scene come from? I planning something totally different, and it just pooped up randomly... **

**I feel very exhilarated now (even though I'm about to go to sleep)... I wonder what's going to happen next? *smiles mysteriously***

**Truthfully, I have no idea.**

**THANKS EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED AND STUFF!**


	13. Beginning of the Confession

**Disclaimer: (I'm so tired of doing this) I've decided to try something new:**

_**Happy birthday to me,**_

_**I'm a hundred and three!**_

_**I still don't own Bleach,**_

_**And Harry is copyrighted!**_

_**My best friend's at work,**_

_**She married a jerk!**_

_**She hired a blue jay,**_

_**Who stole Kubo's rights on Ebay!**_

_**J.K. Rowling got real mad,**_

_**When she found out I had**_

_**Bought Harry Potter on Amazon!**_

_**Happy birthday to me!**_

**I don't exactly get the point across, so: I DON'T OWN BLEACH AND HARRY POTTER.**

**Justin: Oh, you're right. It isn't pooped, it's popped. I probably won't ever get around to fixing it, but thanks for noticing it anyways.**

**... I'm listening to Levan Polkka right now while I'm writing this. Anyone else find that listening to music that totally doesn't have anything to do with the content of what you're writing very productive?**

**All the music that I listened to while writing this:  
**

**Levan Polkka (Hatsune Miku) **

**Phantom of the Opera**

**Senbonzakura (Hatsune Miku)**

**Breath of Life (Florence and the Machine)**

**Miko's Theme- Shoutoku Legend~ True Administrator (Touhou)**

* * *

Despite the loud chatter around them, there was an uncomfortable silence around Harry, Ron and Hermione as they awkwardly attempted to eat.

It remained like that for quite a while.

Hermione and Ron exchanged looks.

They shrugged at each other.

They frowned.

Ron glared at Hermione.

Hermione, giving up, sighed, and opened her mouth to say-

"Potter, Weasley, Granger!"

The three turned to see Professor McGonagall striding toward them.

"You three are to go the headmaster's office. He wishes to see you."

* * *

Harry looked around, studying his surroundings, Hermione and Ron shifting nervously beside him.

Although Ichigo had sneaked up here before, he hadn't actually entered the office, he'd only climbed up the stairs.

Speaking of Ichigo...

_Ichigo. What. Did. You. Do._

_... I didn't do anything. At least nothing worth mentioning that has actually anything to do with me do it isn't worth talking about that is nothing to me so I really didn't do anything that was worth mentioning that is means- _

_Shut up._

_What do you mean? You just asked me a question which means I have to answer it but then you told me to shut up but i have to keep talking to answer your question but I have to shut up-_

Ichigo's rambling was interrupted by Professor Dumbledore, who had entered his office, accompanied by Snape, and his greasy glory.

"I am sure you all know why you have been summoned here," Dumbledore began, seating himself behind his desk.

The tree exchanged mystified glances.

"No?" said Dumbledore, raising an eyebrow. "Well, sit down." He motioned toward the chairs in front of his desk.

They sat down quickly.

"Lemon drop?" Dumbledore asked lightly. The three of them, Ron's eyebrows furrowing in confusion, shook their heads.

"Well, back to the original subject," said Dumbledore. "The reason you are here is to question your methods of defeating the troll."

"But, I already explained," Hermione exclaimed. "Harry knocked out the troll with a spell while Ron stuck his wand up its nose."

"Oh? Yet I was informed that it was the other way around, that Mr. Potter stuck his wand in its nose and Mr. Weasley cast the spell."

Hermione turned purple. Harry cursed inwardly along with Ichigo. Ron looked like a tomato. Snape smirked. McGonagall frowned.

Dumbledore sighed. "Now, I don't wish to force the answer out of you, but the question still remains. How did you knock out the troll, and what spell did you use?"

Seeing as Ron and Hermione looked n no shape for lying, Harry took a breath. He wasn't the best, but he wasn't bad. "Sorry Professor. I was actually the one who knocked out the troll, Hermione just said the wrong thing when she told Professor McGonagall before. She was a bit out of sorts, you see. For the spell, I used _Wingardium Leviosa _on its club to knock out the troll."

Dumbledore's eyes were so penetrating, Harry thought for a second that he had seen through the lie.

"Remember Harry, Hogwarts helps those who need it." Harry nodded stiffly.

But then he leaned back in his chair, and Harry relaxed.

"Very well then. Would you mind exiting the office? I have to discuss a rather important idea with Severus and Minerva here. After that, Minerva will escort you back to your dormitories."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked to the doors as quickly as they could without running, and the doors closed behind them with a resounding boom.

_Wait._

_Ichigo? What NOW?_

_Listen in on them,_ said Ichigo. _Something about that conversation with the old man didn't seem right. I have a feeling he knew you were lying. _

Interest renewed, Harry quickly stuck his eye into the keyhole.

"Harry!" Hermione squeaked. "What are you doing?"

Ron, quickly understanding what Harry was doing, stuck his ear near the bottom of the door. Hermione, not knowing what to do, quickly followed their examples.

"- quite clear that the children were lying Albus, why did you let them go?" McGonagall demanded, her voice coming out quite clearly.

"Yes, the club was still _in the troll's hand, _for Merlin's sake!" Snape growled. "And _Potter _didn't even _try _to explain how he _killed_ a troll!"

All three of them gasped, but Harry froze.

Ichigo. Had _killed._

_ICHIGO! _Harry roared. _How could you!_

Ichigo winced. _What, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to kill anything!_

_... Fine, then promise you won't _ever _do it again. _said Harry. **_Ever._ **

..._ I can't. I'm sorry._

* * *

_November  
_

For the first time, Harry refused to talk to Ichigo. It was his fault, Ichigo had gone too far this time. At first, he had yelled at Harry a lot (and it was extremely loud), but after a while, he had given up. There was now a resounding silence in Harry's head.

"Okay, men," Wood said.

He, Ron and Hermione became closer than ever, now that Ichigo was gone from the picture.

"And women," said Chaser Angelina Johnson.

"And women," Wood agreed. "This is it."

"The big one," said Fred Weasley, winking at Harry.

"The one we've all been waiting for," said George.

It became so much more relaxing to ride without Ichigo's yelping in the background.

"We know Oliver's speech by heart," Fred told Harry, "we were on the team last year."

But that didn't mean Harry didn't miss him.

"Shut up, you two," said Wood. "This is the best team Gryffindor's had in years. We're going to win. I know it."

_HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU~~~~_

Harry flinched.

_Ichigo?_

_HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU~~~~_

_Ichigo! Stop it! The match is about to start!_

_HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR IIISHIIIIIIDAAAAAAAAAAAA~~~~_

_What? __IIISHIIIIIIDAAAAAAAAAAAA_?! Harry snapped as he mounted his broom. _And your voice is horrible!_

_HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUUUUUUU!_

_Zangetsu, what is he DOING? _Harry demanded as he pushed himself off the ground.

_**...He's celebrating. **_

_Celebrating what? It's too loud, TOO LOUD!  
_

_**It's his friend's birthday.**_

Harry blinked as Angelina scored.

Friends birthday? Since when did Ichigo have acquaintances, much less friends?

_**Ichigo existed before you were born, Harry.**_

_And did he use super destructive techniques to kill things back then too? _Harry asked nastily.

**_...?_ **

Information Which Can Be Used For Later: Zangetsu does not understand anything remotely related to sarcasm.

_HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU~~~ _Ichigo sang out. Harry groaned. Why did this have to happen right now?

* * *

Quirrell screamed inwardly in frustration. If this went on, Potter would never be cursed before the match ended. Every single time he tried to pinpoint Potter, he would abruptly turn and fly the other way so that Quirrell couldn't direct his gaze correctly._  
_

"Perhaps he knows...?" he muttered, catching the glance of Snape, his lip curling in distaste. Had the fool headmaster told him...?

* * *

Harry tried in vain to stop Ichigo singing by turning his broomstick experience into the worst/best roller coaster in the world. Sadly, it didn't work.

Then Harry saw it. Forgetting his previous goal, he dived downward after the streak of gold. Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs had seen it too. Neck and neck they hurtled toward the Snitch- everybody seemed to have forgotten their positions and stopped to watch.

Harry was faster than Higgs- he could see the little round ball, wings fluttering, darting up ahead- he put on a extra spurt of speed-

_HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR IISHIIIIIIIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ~~~ _

WHAM! Harry crashed into the ground as a roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors- although Ichigo had suddenly decided to sing extra loudly, Marcus Flint had also blocked Harry on purpose, and he had crashed into the ground.

However, Harry wasn't angry at all. Grinning from ear to ear, as a matter a fact.

"I CAUGHT THE SNITCH!"

* * *

_You did that on purpose, didn't you? _Harry asked later, when he, Ron, and Hermione went down to Hagrid's hut for some tea.

_I didn't do anything. _Ichigo said very innocently.

_Don't kid yourself._

_I'm not._

_Yes you are._

_So, you're talking to me. _Ichigo said, trying to change the the subject.

_Er- um, _Harry stuttered. _S-Stop trying to change the subject! _

"Harry," Hermione spoke up carefully.

"What is it, Hermione?" said Harry.

"The- well-er- the thing is," Hermione said awkwardly, "I'm asking on behalf of Ron and I," she glanced nervously at Ron, who nodded in encouragement, "To-er tell us why- why-who-"

"Who the person was on Halloween night." Harry said, dreading Hermione's response.

"Er-Yes."

Harry sighed and plopped down onto the dirt. "Sit down."

_You're going to tell them?_

_Do you mind?_

_Not really, just make no one screams._

"Alright, this is going to take a bit of a explanation."

* * *

**This chapter is a bit of a filler, and it took forever to write, but be nice to me! It isn't productive to write when someone is drilling holes in into the wall! And I have this really long, drawn-out project that's due on the 27th and it's been taking me forever.  
**

**Plus, today is my B-DAY. BE NICE.**

**Anybody else find it weird that St. Patrick's Day is associated with Ireland, even though St. Patrick himself is a British? I dunno (cuz i'm not Christian or Catholic), just wondering.**


	14. Fishy Secrets

**Disclaimer: _I DON'SH OWNSH ANYSHING. OKAYSH? SHPESHIFICALLY BLEACH OR HARRY POTTER._**

* * *

"Who was he?" Ron demanded. "I mean, Merlin's beard, he managed to kill a troll without a wand!"

"Wandless magic is very advanced magic," said Hermione. "He must've been very talented."

Harry blinked. "Sorry, but you're all asking questions I don't know the answer to."

The two of them stared incredulously as Harry. "How can you not know the answer?" asked Ron.

"Well, if you would just let me explain-"

"Yes, you must know at least a little," said Hermione. "I mean, he did come just to help us."

"Yes, and if you would let me e-"

_Just let me do it. This is taking to long, and I'm starting to get cranky. _Ichigo muttered.

_No way. I don't want them to them to faint on me. And you said not even a chance of screaming, remember?_

_Cheh. Alright, alright. Hurry it up then. _

"Harry?" asked Hermione concernedly. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," answered Harry. "Just figuring out how to break this to you. Ah, I got it."

Harry looked at Hermione. "Have you ever heard of DID?"

_... Wait a second. What kind of explanation is this?_

Hermione nodded, and seeing Ron's questioning gaze, she elaborated. "DID is a muggle term that stands for Dissociative Identity Disorder, otherwise known as multiple personality disorder. It's often caused by a unusually traumatic experience."

_Seriously? Explaining like this?_

"...Oh."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, what Hermione said. Well, the thing is... I... have something very similar to DID."

_No- frikin- this is just just ridiculous. You make it sound like I'm a figment of your imagination!  
_

_Maybe you are._

_Hey!_

Hermione uttered a soft "Oh!" and gazed at Harry sympathetically. Ron however, who was a bit more dim, did not understand. "What does this have to do with the man in the girl's bathroom?" He asked stupidly.

_...You make me sound like a pervert. _

Hermione made a exasperated noise ("Boys!"). "It _means, _Ron, that the man we saw on Halloween _is Harry's alternate personality._" She turned to Harry. "Isn't that right?"

_This girl is crazy. I am NOT, and REFUSE to be a part, any part, of Harry._

_Good, I don't want to be you either._

_Good._ said Ichigo.

_Good._ Harry shot back.

_Good._

_GOOD!_

"... Er, yeah, something like that. I think it might be some type of magical DID, because I- we- whatever, change appearances when the control switches over to another personality. " said Harry, snapping out of his mental glaring contest with Ichigo.

"You can hear him too, right?" asked Hermione. "I've noticed that sometimes you just stare off into the distance, like you're thinking very hard."

"Yes, I can definitely hear him. It's a bit of a pain actually. He's seriously scared of heights, believe it or not. Whenever there's Quidditch practice, he starts squealing like a girl (No offense to girls, Hermione)." said Harry, snorting while Ron sniggered.

_I TOLD YOU, I'M NOT SCARED OF HEIGHTS! SHEESH, I'M NOT GOING TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR HOMEWORK ANYMORE!_

"He can kill a mountain troll, but can't fly on a broomstick without going insane?" Ron smirked.

Harry mimicked Ron's expression and nodded.

_I cannot believe this. What did I do to you to earn this? Are you trying to make everyone hate me?_

_Your answer is right on point! _Harry smiled cheerily.

Ron's mouth dropped open in amazement.

"Wicked!"

_Hah! Karma!_

* * *

_December  
_

As time passed, Ron, Harry, and Hermione began to get more and more curious about the door in the third corridor.

_Just leave it alone, _Ichigo grumbled. _It isn't our problem. _

_But don't you wonder, just a little bit? _Harry asked.

_Like I said, not my problem. _

"I think something valuable is hidden inside," said Harry. "It all makes sense. The same day Hagrid went to go take something to Hogwarts, Gringotts was robbed. Which means someone is trying to steal whatever it is."

"What did it look like, Harry?" Hermione asked. "Maybe I can go to the library and search it up."

Harry opened his mouth and-

_A burning flash, PAIN. _

"Ow!" He yelped, clasping his forehead.

"Harry!" Ron yelled.

_Blood. No, no more. Himself again- with wings. Swords- black and white- desert-_

_Towering skyscrapers- facing man- orange- Ichigo- revulsion- sword- reversed- Zangetsu-_

_"I told you before, I AM Zangetsu!"_

_Harry didn't know how he understood the language, because it wasn't English. He was standing in front of- now wait- floating-couldn't be- Ichigo?_

_Feelings of disgust, hatred, spread across Harry. Ichigo- looks like he's dying, blood on forehead, gasping for breath._

_"... Ichigo. Can you tell me 'what the difference between a king and his horse' is?" Harry speaks up, twirling a white sword with his finger._

_"What?" Ichigo pants out, confused._

_Harry abruptly stops spinning the sword and continues. "And don't even think about giving kid's riddle answer, 'Because one has two legs and the other has four', or some shit like that."_

_"It's about the form, the ability, and the power!" Harry roars at Ichigo. "Almost like the two could have been the same existence at some point! But then, the one who fights to rise to the top becomes the king! Whichever one that is leftover becomes the horse, lending its power to the former! Now I ask you... what is the difference between the two?!"  
_

_Ichigo stays silent, not knowing the answer. Harry's face becomes a mask._

_"There's only one answer."  
_

_Suddenly, Harry screams out one word, with pure, intense joy written on his face._

_"INSTINCT!"_

_"A vital tool for someone who has equal power but wishes to seek out something more, a vital tool for someone who wishes to become a king! With this, the user will naturally be drawn to battles, be drawn to power, and use such to mercilessly obliterate his enemies beyond recognition!" Harry shrieks._

_"Slicing them into pieces, mangling them, all of this brought on by an absolute raw hunger for battle!" Harry continues, spinning his sword again. "Our skin is peeled off, our flesh scooped out, bones crushed, nerves nullified! Every part of us, chiseled down to the very core! ALL IN ORDER TO FURTHER SHARPEN OUR KILLING INSTINCT!"_

_Harry grabs onto the hilt, getting ready to strike. "Something you have no knowledge of! Your instinct is too obvious, too normal! You only fight with a reason, and you always need a cause to cut down your opponents! Just who the hell did you think of attacking when your sword was vaporized?!" Harry glances at Ichigo's 'sword', whose hilt is the only thing that remains._

_"You see... this is why you will forever be weaker than me!" Harry smiles cruelly. "ICHIGO!"_

_The white sword is thrown._

_Haze everywhere suddenly- "Please no, not Harry, not HARRY!"- "Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! I'll hold him off-"  
_

_Green light- Woman with red hair- crib- Harry has his wand out-_

_"Not Harry, not Harry, please, not Harry!"_

_"Stand aside you silly girl... stand aside now." Harry sneers._

_"Not Harry! Please, no, take me, kill me instead- Not Harry! Please... have mercy..."_

_Harry laughs shrilly._

_"AVADA KEDAVRA!" _

_No more, no more, nomorenomorenomorenomore- _

_-Harry! Harry, wake up! HARRY! _

"Harry! Mate, what's wrong!?"

Harry blinked. He was on the floor. He looked up and saw Hermione and Ron bent down, looking at him worriedly.

"Wh-What..." Harry's voice sounded hoarse. "What happened?"

"I dunno," said Ron. "One minute you were fine, and then you just collapsed."

Harry frowned, trying to concentrate. "I remember my scar hurting, and then..." He trailed off. He had a feeling Ichigo wouldn't appreciate him telling anybody yet.

"... and then I don't remember." He finished.

Hermione stared at him skeptically but Ron seemed to accept it. "Are you sure you don't need to go the Hospital Wing? It's rather strange to just faint."

"I'm fine," Harry assured them. "Probably lack of sleep."

Hermione pursed her lips. "Alright then, back to what we were saying. Harry, any ideas on who would want to steal the package?"

Harry sighed and sat up. "Ichigo- my (*cough cough*) alternate personality- I just call him Ichigo- thinks it's either Snape or Quirrell."

Ron nodded in realization. "Of course it was Snape! That greasy git was walking towards the third corridor during Halloween, wasn't he Harry? We saw him! He must've lured the troll inside the school so he could sneak up to the room and steal whatever it was!"

Hermione shook her head. "Ron, treat your professors with more respect. And really, we've got no evidence that it was him, except that he was walking in the direction of the third corridor. What I'm more curious about," She turned to Harry, "Is why EE-chee-goo thins Professor Quirrell is a possible suspect. He doesn't seem suspicious at all."

"It's Ichigo," Harry corrected, and then recollected every piece of evidence that pointed to Quirrell, including what Dumbledore said to Snape.

Hermione frowned thoughtfully. "That does seem to be a lot more evidence, but it's strange- how can Professor Quirrell put up such a good act all the time? He certainly can't that good of an actor. It takes practice to stutter smoothly, if you know what I mean."

Harry shrugged. "Maybe he was a telly actor before."

"What's a telly actor?" Ron questioned.

"It's someone who performs on a telly," Hermione explained.

"What's a telly?"

"It's a muggle device that's shaped like a box. It can receive electromagnetic waves-"

"What are electromagnetic waves?"

Hermione glared at Ron. "Ronald Bilius Weasley, have you ever even bothered to open a textbook before?! I swear- I'll-I'll- I'll sign you up for Muggle Studies next year!"

* * *

Christmas was coming. The next day, Harry woke to find the grounds covered in several feet of snow.

_Whoa. That is a lot of snow. _

Harry blinked. _Ichigo?_

_What, were you suddenly diagnosed with Alzheimer's? Because last time I checked, I hadn't changed my name into 'Tree Frog'._

_No, its just that you were barely talking at dinner yesterday._

_... Well, I was preoccupied. Hey, Harry, I was wondering, what exactly did you see when you fainted yesterday?  
_

Harry frowned again. _I thought you knew?_

_Nah, I just saw darkness. I knew something had happened though, because you wouldn't respond.  
_

Harry hesitated. It wasn't as if he thought Ichigo didn't deserve to know, he just didn't know how Ichigo would react. That scene... Harry didn't know how, but it was definitely a part of Ichigo's past, as the last scene was part of Harry's.

Harry knew that he had been Voldemort in the last memory. But... who exactly had he been in the first?

_Harry?_

_Oh, _said Harry stupidly. _Sorry. I saw two memories- the last one was of my mum dying._

_...I'm sorry._ Ichigo said, quite uncharacteristically. _...But, what was the first memory? _

Harry took a shaky breath. _I-I- I'm not quite sure. But I saw you. You looked like you were wearing your regular attire, but it was all beaten up and bloody. I- I was the person who was fighting you._

_...And the shit hits the fan, _Ichigo muttered. _Did you say anything?_

_Yeah, _said Harry. _Something about the horse and the king. _

_What?! Are you sure?!_

_Absolutely. Why?_ Answered Harry, confused. Was this important?

_Just... no reason. Never mind. _Ichigo sighed. _Looks like I'm going have to tell you about my past pretty soon, if this goes on._

_You will? _Harry jumped up in shock. _Really?! _A wide grin shot up on his face. _Yes! I've been waiting for this!_

_Fine, how about this? I'll tell you a bit at a time, starting on... let's see... Christmas._

_It's a deal!_

* * *

Harry wasn't going to Privet Drive for Christmas. Professor McGonagall had come around the week before, making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays, and Harry signed up at once. He didn't feel very sorry for himself at all; this would probably be the best Christmas he'd ever had. The Weasleys were staying as well, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had gone to Romania to go visit Charlie.

Hermione was going home to visit her parents. "Owl me if you find anything worth mentioning, alright?"

Harry and Ron promised they would, and off Hermione went.

Once holidays started, Ron and Harry were having too good a time to think much about the forbidden corridor. They had the dormitory to themselves and common room was far emptier than usual, so they were able to get good armchairs by the fire. They sat by the hour eating anything they could spear on a toasting fork- bread, English muffins, marshmallows- talking with Ichigo, though he never came out himself, and plotting ways of getting Malfoy expelled, which were fun to talk about even if they didn't work.

On Christmas Eve, Harry went to sleep only expecting food, fun, and Ichigo's past, but not any presents. When he woke early in the morning, however, the first thing he saw a small pile of packages.

"Merry Christmas," said Ron sleepily as Harry scrambled out of bed and pulled on his bathrobe.

"You too," said Harry. "Will you look at this? I've actually got some presents this year!"

Ron blinked. "You mean, you've never got anything before?" Not expecting an answer. he turned to his own pile, which was a lot bigger than Harry's.

Harry had gotten a wooden flute from Hagrid, a fifty-pence piece from Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia (which he gave to Ron), homemade fudge and a Weasley sweater from Mrs. Weasley, Chocolate Frogs from Hermione, and...

Harry opened the note to the last package.

Your father left this in my possession before

he died. It is time it was returned to you.

Use it well.

A Very Merry Christmas to you.

Harry unwrapped his last present, and something fluid and silvery gray went slithering to the floor where it lay in gleaming folds. Ichigo and Ron gasped.

_No way, it's a Invisibility Cloak! _

_What?_

"I've heard of those," said Ron in a hushed voice, dropping his box of Every Flavor Beans he'd gotten from Hermione. "If that's what I think it is- they're really rare, and _really _valuable."

Harry picked up the shining, silvery cloth off the floor. It was strange to touch, like water woven into material.

"It's an invisibility cloak," said Ron, a look of awe on his face. "I'm sure it is- try it on."

Harry draped it on his shoulders and Ron gave a yell. "It is! Look down!"

Harry looked down at his feet, but they were gone. He dashed to the mirror. Sure enough, his reflection looked back at him, just his head suspended in midair, his body completely invisible. He pulled the cloak over his head and his reflection vanished completely.

"Was there a note or anything?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, there was," said Harry. "Here."

Ron examined it and frowned. "I don't recognize the handwriting..."

Harry suddenly felt very strange. He looked at the cloak. Had this really belonged to his father?

* * *

Harry had never experienced a better Christmas. All afternoon, he and the Weasleys were outside, having a furious snowball fight. Christmas dinner had been so good, everyone felt too full and sleepy to do much except sit and watch Percy chase Fred and George all over Gryffindor tower because they'd stolen his prefect badge.

However, two things had been nagging him the whole day.

_Hey Ichigo. Now ought to be a good time to start._

_...Okay, alright. Ask me some questions and I'll answer them._

Harry smiled.

_Let's start with... Where were you born?_

_Karakura Town, Japan._ Ichigo answered smoothly.

Harry frowned suspiciously. _You're not lying are you? _

_What? No! _

Japan, huh. Well, Harry had guessed that right. He was definitely an oriental.

_Tell me about your family. _

_Er... let's see. I had two twin sisters, Yuzu and Karin. They were a few years younger than me. Yuzu took after my mum. She had blonde hair, and a smile that could light up the whole house. _Ichigo's voice had lost some of its rough edges and gained a dreamy quality.

_Karin... well, she was the tomboyish one. She didn't smile too often and she never cried. She acts like everything is a pain in the butt, and she looks up to my childhood friend- A- Ahg, I mean, Tatsuki Arisawa, who's second strongest girl in Japan._

_Whoa,_ Harry whistled, impressed. _I wouldn't want to anger her._

_Meh, _Ichigo shrugged. _I could probably beat her, as long as she doesn't take me by surprise._

Stuff to know that can be used later: Ichigo is stronger than originally suggested.  


_Alright, how about your parents?_

_Goat chin?_ Ichigo snorted. _He's an idiot. Every night, there's a curfew of six-o-clock. Every morning, he attempts to wake me up 'daddy-style', with a huge GOOOOOOOOD MOOOOOOORRRRRRRRNIIIIIIINNNN NGGGGGG IIIICHIIIIIGOOOOOOOOOOO! Everyday, there's always, 'Oh, MASAKI! Our children don't love their daddy anymore!'_

_Masaki?_ Harry asked.

_Oh. My mum, _Ichigo said. _She was... amazing. _

Harry, not sure what to say, blurted out, _Was?_

_...I think this questioning has gone on long enough for today._ Ichigo said quietly.

_What? But-_

_*Snores*  
_

Harry sighed and flopped down onto his bed. Maybe his mum was a hard subject for him? Harry knew that he wouldn't want to talk about his mum and dad's death with anyone either.

Slowly, his thoughts transitioned toward the invisibility cloak. His father's... it had been his father's.

_Use it well, _the note had said.

Suddenly, Harry felt wide awake. The whole of Hogwarts was open to him in his cloak. Excitement flooded through him as he sprang up from the bed. He could anywhere, and Filch would never know.

Harry decided to not wake up Ron. His father's cloak- he felt that this time- the first time- he wanted to use it alone, and now that Ichigo was asleep, it was the perfect chance. He quickly slipped the cloak on.

He crept out of the dormitory, down the stairs, across the common room, and climbed through the portrait hole, ignoring the Fat Lady's squawk of, "Who's there?"

Where should he go? He stopped, his heart racing, and thought. And then it came to him. The the third floor corridor. He set off, drawing the invisibilty cloak tight behind him as he walked.

When Harry arrived, corridor was pitch black and very eerie. Harry lit a lamp and approached the forbidden corridor very slowly. A sudden sound of light footsteps suddenly was made clear though.

_*Step*_

_*Step* _

Harry froze. Whoever was walking was coming in his direction. They must've seen the light. Harry quickly dropped his lamp and started to run for it.

"Wait." Harry blinked. The voice was definitely male, with a slight accent that reminded him of Ichigo's enunciation. He turned around.

"You're not a professor," Harry stated, keeping his voice calm.

The man scoffed. "And what made you think that? The clothes?" He gestured at his strange white clothing.

"Were you the one trying to steal whatever's in there?" Harry pointed behind him, toward the corridor.

"No. I hold no interest in that object."

Harry frowned. Was he lying?

"Who are you?" Harry asked his last question.

"Me?" The man frowned. "How rude, Kurosaki. Wait, don't tell me, he's sleeping isn't he?" Not waiting for a reply, he continued. "Well, then I suppose it's natural for you to not know who I am."

"My name is Uryuu. Uryuu Ishida."

* * *

**Oh yeah! Uh-huh! Oh yeah! Uh-huh! More than 3000 words!  
**

**And for people who ask, no, I'm not obsessed with Ishida. It just so happened that Ishida was the guy who I thought would work best in this situation, and it was a COINCIDENCE that his birthday's in the beginning of November. J.K. Rowling didn't give an official date on when the Quidditch match was last chapter, so I made it up.**

**I was going to add The Mirror of Erised scene in this chapter, but I'm too lazy too... It'll probably take me another day to write the whole thing...**

**Thanks for the reviews everyone. I'm tired of typing, I'm going to go...**

**...**

**...**

**...**

**Do something, I guess.**


	15. Mary Had A Lamb As White As Poop

GUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

I. GIVE UP.

WHY? I FINALLY GOT TO THE INTERESTING PART, AND THEN...

**I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO WRITE!**

AND WHENEVER I DO WRITE SOMETHING...

*TYPES AWAY*

CLICKS **SAVE.**

_YOU CANNOT ACCESS PAGE BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT LOGGED IN. TO ACCESS THIS PAGE, YOU MUST LOGIN. _

**GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**

_IT'S ALREADY HAPPENED TOO MANY TIMES._

* * *

Ok, enough with the CAPS LOCK. So basically what I'm trying to say is that I have no idea what to write.

... Remember that line near the bottom of the first chapter? Back then, I said something like, "I'm not sure how long I'm going to stick with this story, I might write a few chapters, lose interest, and then give up?"

Well yeah, that's what happened.

I will most likely discontinue this, but just to be safe, I'll put it on hiatus...

Oh, and here's part of the next chapter, all 961 words of it.

* * *

Harry's mind reeled in shock.

Uryu? Uryu Ishida?

Wasn't that the name on the Marauder's Map? Who was this guy?

Loud, clattering footsteps quickly interrupted Harry's line of thoughts.

"You asked me, hah hah, to come directly to, hah hah, you, Professor, if anyone was wandering, hah hah, and somebody's on the third floor- the forbidden section." Harry heard Filch wheeze out, his voice echoing down the corridor.

Harry glanced nervously at said direction, and then at Uryu. Uryu frowned and said, "Come, we'll continue this conversion somewhere more appropriate. And ignoring his yelp of protest, he grabbed Harry by the waist and carried him over his shoulder.

Harry blinked. They were climbing up stairs. He blinked again. No, they were in Professor McGonagall's classroom. He blinked again, and now they were in an empty classroom, or so he assumed.

There were dark shapes of desks and chairs were piled against the walls, and there was an upturned wastepaper basket.

Uryu took a seat on the wastepaper basket. "Well, you might as well take a seat on the floor, this might take a while."

Harry slowly sat down, not taking his eyes off Uryu.

Both of them waited for the other to speak.

"Do you know w-"

"You are Ich-"

"... Oh, you go first."

"No way! Just finish what you were saying."

"..."

Ishida slapped himself on the forehead. "... In times like this, I wish Kurosaki were here to make one his awkward comments."

"True," Harry agreed, "He always says the worst things at the best times."

"... That doesn't even make sense."

"Neither does Ichigo."

"True."

"Say," Harry said slowly, "How do you know Ichigo anyways?"

"Well," Ishida started. "We met in high school. We weren't exactly the best of friends, but we got along well enough, considering our circumstances. It helped that I was forced to go along with his escapades, such as invading Soul Society-"

"Soul Society?" Harry asked eagerly. This could be his big chance to find out more about Ichigo's past. "What's that?"

Uryu blinked and adjusted his glasses. "Oh, Soul Society is where the shinigami-"

"Shinigami?"

Uryu frowned. "How much has Ichigo told you anyways? It can't possibly be much, since he hasn't even mentioned me."

"How about absolutely nothing?" Harry muttered darkly. "Every time I ask, he just changes the subject. I finally managed to find out that he's from Japan, and then he just shut up half way through his explanation of his family."

"That idiot," Uryu grumbled. "I hate it when he hides secrets like this. Pissed Arisawa off like hell when he did it to her, and there was no harm done, she wasn't satisfied until she had punched him in the face repeatedly."

"Arg-ee-saw-a?" Harry asked. "You mean Ichigo's childhood friend?"

"Ah-ree-sah-wah, but close enough." Uryu corrected.

"So, will you tell me more about this 'Soul Society'?" Harry asked eagerly. "And the sh-shi-shee-"

To his disappointment, Uryu shook his head. "However ridiculous Ichigo's wishes are, I'll respect them for now. It's clear that he doesn't want you involved in this."

"You won't tell me anything?" Harry asked, crestfallen. "Not even a hint?"

Uryu rolled his eyes. "The words 'Soul Society' aren't enough? Well, I'll give you a hint. Ask your bushy-haired friend to research a little on the origin of wizards."

Harry nodded. It'd be a bit hard to lie to Hermione, but knowing what Ichigo was hiding was worth it.

Uryu stood up abruptly. "It looks like our conversation ends here, Harry Potter. _He _needs rest, so I'll be going." And with that, and slight flicker of static, Uryu Ishida was gone.

"Talk about dramatic..."

Feeling slightly disgruntled, Harry picked up the cloak from the floor. It was time to get back to the Gryffindor dormitory. There had been enough exploring for tonight.

Caught up in his own thoughts, he didn't notice the large mirror propped on the opposite side of the classroom.

* * *

"Neville?" Harry blinked. He had walked back to the Fat Lady's Portrait without any detours, but why was Neville here...?

Neville smiled sheepishly. "Well, um, I decided to take a walk, and was just about to go inside..."

"Oh." Harry said. He didn't know that Neville was the type to take walks in the middle of the night.

But then his eyes narrowed in suspicion. Neville had been around when he and Ichigo had changed control, and he had been too close. And he just happened to be out this night. It was too much of a coincidence.

Neville squirmed under Harry's gaze. "Er... is something wrong?" He asked nervously.

Harry shook himself out of his thoughts. Now wasn't the time. to be thinking about this. He had ought to go to sleep; it was pretty late and he had a Transfiguration exam tomorrow. "It's nothing, sorry." He'd talk to Ichigo about Neville later.

He walked to his bed, glancing at Ron, snoring away into his sheets. Carefully, Harry slipped himself into his own blankets, and closed his eyes.

The dreams began almost immediately.

_"Ah!" Harry feels the mouth move, but it's not him that's speaking. A splash, and then 'Harry's' face is covered in water._

_A familiar feeling of revulsion hits him. How weak, he thinks as his lips curl._

_"Oh my, oh my, what a bad truck driver." Someone says, and 'Harry' looks up. Standing there is a lady with a face as kind as an angel, wiping off 'Harry's' face. "Are you okay, Ichigo?"_

_"Sorry. Here, let's switch places. I'll walk on the roadside instead." Harry hears her continue._

* * *

... I know. One and a half months, and I got less than a thousand words.

But don't hit me or anything, I feel bad enough as it is...

Maybe I'll write another story, and...

And...

And...

And then run away again?


	16. Shameless

I'm sorry. But I just had to do this.

No, this is not an update. This story is still on a very long hiatus, though by now I'm seriously considering putting it up for adoption (though it's a shame, such a good story plot).

I have come here to beg for reviews. Which, for me, is really really sad.

No, seriously. I originally started writing for my own sake, but in the end, I started looking more and more at the review numbers and when it reached 200, I squealed like a pig.

And then I started a new story, called The Portrait. WHY IS NOT AS POPULAR AS MY OLDER STORY?!

But meh. Whatever. I got over it. But... I still want reviews. I feel really bad doing this, but...

PLEASE check out my story and review. Flame it, be a troll, I don't care, just review.

Shameless me, shameless...


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